Blade's Edge
by Catsafari
Summary: "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult." AU.
1. Double Act

**A/N: Sorry for the lateness of this chapter - did I say my troubles were over? You know, I really should keep my mouth shut about such things - as soon as I thought stuff had finished breaking, the internet went kaput. Hence the tardiness of the chapter. **

**Anyway, as I mentioned at the end of "_A Christmas Heart_", this story was written around the same time as "_Reflections_", but due to a whim on my part (in other words, I reallyreally_really_ wanted to post "_The Bureau Files_") it was delayed until now. So, as with any of my older stories, I'm a little critical of this story, but I enjoyed writing it and I think you guys will enjoy reading it. **

**So now I present the first chapter of, "Blade's Edge"!**

**Cat.**

**ooOoo**

"_Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. _

_Luckily, this is not difficult."_

~ Charlotte Whitton

x

Chapter 1: Double Act

"No."

The young woman growled and leant over the desk at the officer. "I'm good," she insisted. "_Really_ good. My father is–"

"I don't care whether your father is the king himself, young lady. The truth remains that women are not permitted to fight in the King's Guard," the officer recited in a rather bored, yet smug, voice. "Now, please, move aside. There are _men_ waiting to sign up."

The brunette slammed her fist down upon the table in an action of last defiance before turning away and heading back the way she'd come, walking away from the queue of men who had all just witness her humiliating rejection. A few wolf-whistled, others made some scathing remarks.

"That's right, girlie, get back to the kitchen!"

"Leave this to the men!"

She slowed, barely resisted the temptation to turn back around and challenge them. '_The sad thing is, I'd probably beat them if I did_,' she thought venomously. '_That is, __**if**__ they'd even accept it._'

She kept her pace up, afraid that if she lingered, she would react to the men's taunts. As it was though, her hand lightly touched the blade that was strapped to her side.

'_Another time, maybe_.'

ooOoo

"So, did they accept you?"

The young woman let the door slam shut behind her. For several seconds her face remained neutral-calm, before she gave a vicious, well-trained kick into the wall beside her.

The man sitting across the room in a wheeled chair didn't take his eyes off the paper he was reading. "I'll take that as a no, then. Are you quite finished?"

The brunette straightened herself up; the neutral expression returning. "Yes, Father."

"Good. You know that wall is not designed to withstand such abuse."

Despite herself, she grinned. "Sorry, Father."

"Alright. As long as you're willing to rebuild that wall when it collapses, Haru, I'll let it go for now. Now, come and help your old man with this crossword puzzle."

"You must be getting bored if you're resorting to the crosswords to keep you occupied," she commented as she collected the various crockery debris scattered on the table beside her father.

"You have no idea. Okay, the clue is: _an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident_."

"Length?"

"Eleven letters and the third letter is an 'r'."

The young woman laughed as she dumped plates and cutlery into the sink. "Why, that's easy. It's _serendipity_." After a pause, she laughed again and added, "Well, that's something which I evidently don't possess. Okay, anymore?"

"Well, there's this one – _to provide a room and sometimes with food_. Again, eleven letters."

"Accommodate?"

"Yes, I thought that too, but the seventh letter has to be an 'o'."

Haru paused, counting in her head. "The seventh letter _is_ an 'o'," she eventually said doubtfully. She moved away from the sink to peer over her father's shoulder. "Yes, see? You've forgotten to put an extra 'm' in."

Chuckling, the man scored out the word and corrected his mistake. "It's a sad day when my own daughter has to check my spelling."

"I read," she said stiffly, moving back to the sink to finish washing up.

"Hm, evidently a hobby you picked off your mother. She always had a book on her – when she wasn't sowing, that is."

"_Quilting_," Haru amended. "It's called _quilting_. Honestly, do you still have to call it that even after she's... after she's..." Haru made a sudden choking sound and quickly wiped away the tears that had escaped past her guard.

"Haru..." Her father put down the newspaper and motioned for her to come closer. "I'm sorry. You still miss her, don't you?"

Nodding, the brunette allowed her father to pull her into a warm embrace. "I know it's been a month, but still..."

"I know. I miss her too. But she wouldn't want us to always be weighed down with grief. As she's quoted enough times; _carpe diem_."

"Seize the day," Haru translated, smiling weakly.

Daichi kissed his daughter's head. "Yes. I'm sure she'd throw some other literary quotes at our heads if she were here too. She'd tell me to stop moping about my legs and you to keep your head up. Now, why don't you practise your skills with that blade of yours?"

"But they didn't accept me," she whispered. "I'm going to have to find another job, but because I'm a woman they won't pay well. And I need to get a decent job. With Mother gone and you having to give up your job in the army after the fire... I need to make enough money to keep us afloat. But I don't see how I can do that. We have enough saved to keep us okay for a little while longer, but soon..."

"I know." Daichi's hands moved to readjust the blanket covering his legs automatically when his daughter mentioned the fire last month. The woollen blanket hid his legs, but still it was possible to notice that they weren't quite as straight as they should have been. His hand came up to stroke Haru's head. "You sound as good as defeated."

Haru brought her head up. "I might as well be. They won't accept me because I'm a girl." She dragged herself to her feet, resisting the urge to kick something. Again. "And I can't change that." Eventually she gave in to the impulse and gave the wall another kick for good measure. "It's so unfair! I'm just as good as any of the men – you've been teaching me since I was a kid and I have the determination, the skill, the ability, but they won't even give me a chance! I'm so _sick_ of being judged because of my gender!"

Daichi was watching the brunette, a sly smile slipping onto his features.

Haru paused. "Uh-oh, that looks like you've got a plan."

The smile widened. "Haru, how would you like to be a boy?"

ooOoo

"It looks like it should be a little tighter."

"It's as tight as it's going to go!" Haru hissed. "Honestly, this is worse than a _corset_!"

Her father raised an eyebrow. "Coming from you, that's a pretty big insult."

"You bet it is! I can't breathe as it is!"

"Well, unless you'd like to explain why you're a guy with a bust, that's going to have to be tighter."

Haru huffed and retreated into her room. "Okay, I'll fix it." Once the door was shut, she pulled off her top and checked the bandage wrapping around her chest. It was meant to bind her bust and so hide the most obvious sign of her gender, but so far she was beginning to feel it was more effort than it was worth. Her father had already trimmed her usually-short hair to an even shorter length in a more masculine style and she still had to become accustomed to the absence of her hair no longer tickling her shoulders.

She pulled her top back on and checked her reflection. There – she looked slightly more masculine than she had before now. It was a pity that her eyes were so wide and feminine though – but there was little she could do to hide that.

"Are you done?"

"Yes." Haru returned to the main room of their cottage. "How do I look?"

"Better, much better. Could you look a little less in pain though?"

"I'm sorry," Haru said shortly. "It's just going to take a little time for me to adjust to this. I hadn't realised breathing was _optional_."

"No need to get bad-tempered, young lady. This is for your benefit."

"Humph," Haru muttered. "Personally I don't see how I'm going to be able to wield a weapon, let alone _fight_, like this."

"Practice, my dear. Now, what else do we need to deal with?"

Haru motioned to her eyes. "What am I meant to do about this? My eyes look the same as ever."

"Well, short of placing really thick pair of glasses, not much. And if you wear glasses, that'll suggest you have impaired vision, in which case they're unlikely to accept you anyway." Her father thought for a moment. "Have you considered an eye patch?"

Haru laughed. "What, for both eyes?"

"You would look like a pirate," he teased.

"I would look _blind_."

"Look, just try... not to look too feminine."

"And how do you suggest I do _that_?"

Daichi paused. "Well, maybe you should resist fluttering your eye lashes..."

"I don't do that anyway!"

"Okay, true."

"The last problem is what I should call myself."

"Call yourself Haru."

"I can't do that."

"And why not?"

"Haru is a _girl's_ name! That would be nothing short of advertising what I am."

Daichi laughed. "In fact, it's more commonly used as a guy's name. When you were born, everyone kept assuming you were a boy and it took quite a while before people stopped making that mistake."

Haru opened, then closed her mouth. After a pause, she added, "Really?"

"Yep. Naoko never quite forgave me for persuading her. Do a spin so I can see how you look."

Haru obliged.

"And try not to look like a two-year-old practising ballet, for goodness sake," Daichi added as Haru returned to face him. "Guys do not _prance_; they do not _skip_ and for pity's sake, don't forget yourself and start squealing if you get happy."

"I do not _squeal_," Haru said flatly.

"You know what I mean. Oh, and don't go kissing any guys," he added, nearly as an afterthought.

Haru reddened. "_Father_!" she hissed.

"Even if they're very charming and very handsome–" Daichi stopped as a pillow was thrown at him. "What?" He hesitated, a nervous expression passing over his face. "Naoko _did_ give you the talk about the birds and the bees, right?"

Haru stood with another pillow, poised for a second attack if needs be. "Yes, Father, she _did_," she said in a tight voice. "I do know better than to kiss a guy while _disguised_ as a guy. Give me _some_ credit."

"Right. Good. I think that's everything covered on that particular topic..."

A still extremely reddened Haru just huffed. "I think so."

"I have some of my old clothing from when I was a lad – you can go and borrow some of that stuff."

Haru made a face. "Father, that stuff is _old_. I'm going to look like some hand-me-down kid."

"Just borrow them for a short while, and once you have some money, get some new stuff. Anyway, don't you get a uniform?"

"I think so."

"Good. Right, time for you to head off. Take Taro with you this time."

"But he's your horse..."

"I'm not going to be riding him any time soon," Daichi said, slapping his legs for emphasis. "Take him – he always liked you better anyway."

"Okay." Haru moved over to her father and hugged him in an impulsive embrace. "Daddy?" she whispered, calling her father by her childhood name for him. "Thanks. This means the world to me."

Daichi chuckled. "I know. Now, go and show those boys who's boss."

Haru released him, smiling. "Will do."

ooOoo

"Name?"

"Haru Yoshioka."

"Yoshioka..."

"That's right. _Sir_," she added. She was trying her best to be respectful to the officer who had rejected her on the grounds of her gender only a few days ago. She had let several days go by to ensure that he wouldn't recognise her, although by the look of it, she needn't have bothered. He wasn't really sparing her a glance.

"Yoshioka... Are you related to the General Daichi Yoshioka, by chance?"

"Yes. He is my father. Sir."

"I didn't know he had a son."

Haru stiffened and when she next spoke, she had dropped the pitch of her voice. "We... didn't always see eye-to-eye," she lied desperately.

"Hm." The officer leant back in his chair, turning around to the assistant who was currently sorting out a box full of files. "Hey, Juro, you know General Yoshioka?"

"The one who was crippled after that fire a month ago? Yeah?"

"Did he have a son?"

The youth who was barely a few years older than Haru made a face. "Well, now that you mention it..."

Haru suddenly crossed her fingers behind her back.

"I think... he _did_ have a child called Haru... Yes, it was Haru. I've got a second cousin on my father's side with that name, that's why I remember it."

The officer laughed. "Is that the cousin who you're always complaining about?"

"Yes; he's a right little terror."

Still chuckling, the officer turned back to Haru. "How old are you, lad?"

"Eighteen."

"I see you've already got a weapon; are you any good?"

"Yes. My father taught me."

"I thought you said you didn't get on?"

Haru floundered. "It was one of the few things we _did_ agree on."

"Hm." The officer didn't seem persuaded, but apparently it wasn't worth his time to mull over. "Right, boy, you're in. Go through and get your horse stabled and collect a uniform. Practice starts at seven tomorrow, sharp."

Haru bowed. "Thank you. _Sir_," she added, as an afterthought. She tugged on Taro's reins and passed through the archway, coming into a large courtyard. A little delirious as she took in the clean surroundings, she hugged Taro's neck once they were out of sight.

"_Yes_! We did it!"


	2. The Importance of First Impressions

Chapter 2: The Importance of First Impressions

Haru woke grudgingly the next morning; with half an intention of rolling over and returning to sleep, but a racket outside was preventing just such a plan. Groaning, she pulled her pillow over her head.

"Damn shopkeepers... Why do they have to be up at the crack of dawn? It's not even like anyone's going to out at this time of day..."

She paused in her complaints long enough to register a couple of things. One, the pillow stuffed over her head felt different, with none of her usual smell clinging to it and, two, the sound outside was a far cry from shopkeepers setting up stalls.

"Damn!" With all her usual grace, she fell out of the bed; her feet getting caught up in the unfamiliar bedcovers as she attempted to jump out. The only result of this was the dull thud as she smacked onto the floor. Disentangling herself from the mess, she stumbled to the cupboard and dragged out the uniform she had collected the day before. She paused long enough to look out of her window. She could see the courtyard was already occupied.

"Oh, no, no, no, no! I am _not_ going to be late on my first day of training!" She sped to pull the uniform over her and sparing one last look in the mirror to check the bandages were still in place. Okay, she looked suitably like a guy... Sort of. Even with her hair clipped short, her face held a certain amount of feminist traits to it.

"Whatever," she huffed, and hopped to the door, trying to pull her shoes on at the same moment. Miraculously she managed this without any accident and within moments was rushing along the corridor.

She came to the courtyard where the rest of the trainees were standing and she attempted to creep to the back to join them. At the front a man was talking – she had little idea what it was about. However, a moment later he cut off his speech – or whatever it was – and addressed her.

"Ah, I see we've finally be graced with the presence of a latecomer. Come forward; you've just volunteered yourself for the demonstration."

Haru jumped and looked around – feverously hoping that he had been referring to some other person but to no avail. She trundled reluctantly forward, making her way between the small crowd to where the speaker stood.

He was surprisingly young – shouldn't someone his age be serving in the army rather than teaching? – surely only a few years older than her and also (Haru tried not to blush at this thought) surprisingly good-looking. His green eyes however just flickered over her in irritation. All he saw was a late youth.

"What's your name, boy?"

"Haru... Haru Yoshioka." She tried not to squeak, but she was aware it came out higher than she would have liked. Somewhere in the crowd, she heard something that sounded like a gasp, accompanied by a little muttering. She discarded it and focused on the matter at hand. Of course people were going to recognise her surname.

The man didn't respond by asking about her father, even though General Yoshioka was well-known. All he said was, "Well, _Haru Yoshioka_, here we try to start on time. Lateness is not appreciated."

"Yes... sir."

In his hands he held a couple of sticks. He tossed one to Haru, who wasn't prepared and only managed to let the stick fall through her fingers and clatter to the paved ground. She could almost feel the man's un-amused gaze as she picked it up. She ignored the snickers from the audience.

She looked over at the stick, and its use struck her. "Sir, I have a sword..."

"We start with sticks," he said stiffly back. Haru had been right; he was wearing a very 'un-amused' look. "When I know you can handle something simpler first, then we move onto weapons."

The brunette tried not to redden at his tone. She felt like a small child being told, _no, you can't have sweets_. She moved the position of her hands so she held the wood like a weapon before her. She could handle a sword; a stick should be easy. "Okay, I'm ready."

He moved with surprising speed; giving little indication – if any – that he was going to start. Haru was forced to duck away to avoid the stick, but found that her eyes were so busily trained on the 'weapon' in her opponent's hand that she failed to keep her surroundings in mind. Her foot caught in a dip in the cobbled ground and – to her embarrassment – she was already on the floor, with the challenger's stick poised above her.

"Rule one: always remember your surroundings," he said in a cold tone. The 'weapon' was drawn away.

Haru staggered back to her feet with no help from the man, trying to block out the sniggering that had broken out among the audience.

"You think this is funny?" the man abruptly asked. The stifled laughter died away almost immediately. "If that had been in real combat, there would be very little to laugh about." He picked up the stick that Haru had dropped in her fall, and tossed it to her. This time she managed to catch it, albeit clumsily. "Again."

She glared at him; was he deliberately trying to make a fool of her? Why couldn't he ask someone else? And why did he have to act as if he was so much older than her? There were only a few years between them...

However, this time she was prepared for his sudden speed. Keeping her feet steady to prevent a repeat of last time, she ducked away and brought her stick round. But, instead of bringing it up to hit him on the back, she brought it low and whacked the back of his knees, knowing that area to be particularly vulnerable. He stumbled and she brought the stick round again to bare it at his throat. Suddenly he was the one on the ground and she the one in control.

"One all, I believe," she said dryly. Content that she had won that one, she lowered her stick and offered a hand to help him up.

His eyes flickered to the hand, then to her face before he took the offer. However, as his hand curled around hers, he jerked it down and in the same motion as he rose to his feet, bringing Haru down. His other hand worked to snatch the lowered 'weapon' from her and all too suddenly the roles had been reversed.

"Rule two: never let your guard down," he said in that same tone.

"Cheat," she grumbled.

"Amateur," he returned. He turned to their audience who were – once again – stifling their humour. His cold stare flooded over all of them. "Remember, this is training now, but on the field you won't be shown mercy. Don't let your guard down."

Haru, however, used the opportunity as he turned away from her. She kicked out at the back of his knees again and grabbed the one stick from the floor and the other from his hand. She couldn't help smirking as he looked up at her in surprise. "You're lucky," she said, her maple eyes sparkling. "I _had_ considered kicking a little higher." The smirk grew as she heard the other trainees snigger again, but this time at the leader being bested. She was careful to back away out of reach before lowering her weapons. "Has the demonstration ended, _sir_?"

The man slowly got to his feet, regarding her with a look all the while. "Quite. Everyone, grab a stick from the side and practise with a partner. I want to see what kind of level you are all at."

This she took to be a dismissal, and she headed back into the crowd. To her surprise, most of the youths clapped her on the back and heralded her with congratulations. Most of them gave offers for her to be their partner. She was a little overwhelmed at the attention. Yes, she was used to attention – she'd had to beat off a few suitors in her time – but this was very different. She supposed if she had had a brother, it would have been something like this.

However, a familiar face appeared by her side and grabbed her hand before anyone else could claim her. "Haru's my partner," he announced and dragged her away. The dark-haired youth grabbed a stick from the side before turning to the brunette. "Are you mad?" he demanded in a whisper.

Haru merely grinned. "Tsuge, you know me well enough. Isn't that a pretty redundant question?"

"I'm serious!" He realised his voice had raised a notch in level and quickly lowered it. "I mean, what if someone finds out?"

"No one's going to find out," she replied. "Are you going to tell?"

"Well, no, but..."

"And what are they going to do anyway? I don't think there are even any punishments set out for what I'm doing."

"That's because a woman has never snuck her way into the King's Guard before," Tsuge hissed.

"Are you two going to talk all day or are you going to practise like I asked?" a familiar voice asked them.

"Sorry, sir!" Tsuge immediately replied. Haru was less quick to respond. She merely glowered at the man and nodded in a surly manner. When he had left, Haru moved the conversation onto less private matters.

"Who is he anyway?" she asked with a grimace.

"He introduced himself as Baron von... something. The last name is rather unusual; that's why everyone just calls him sir." Tsuge gave her an unimpressed look. "At least, you _would_ know that if you were here on time."

"I overslept, okay? And what does he have against me anyway?"

"Well, you _were_ late."

"I'm sorry, already!"

"If you don't want to make a worst first impression, maybe we should get on with practising," Tsuge offered.

Haru sighed and raised her stick, preparing herself for the mock-fight. Their attack was several tones milder than Haru's previous training with the Baron. They took it at a deliberately leisurely pace to allow them to talk while they exchanged blows.

"You know I'm better than a lot of guys my own age," Haru told Tsuge tightly as their weapons met in the middle. "Why shouldn't I be allowed to join?"

"It's not a–"

"Don't you dare say it's not a lady's place."

Tsuge gritted his teeth. Haru had always been particularly stubborn. "Haru, people are going to realise sooner or later..."

"And by that point, I'll be good enough for them to _have to_ admit that women are as good as guys."

"And if that isn't the case?"

Haru glowered. "I'm good; you can't deny that."

"I can't deny you've got guts. Haru, of all the idiotic schemes... What about your father?"

"He's the one who suggested this in the first place."

The youth groaned. "I can easily believe that actually. But why...?"

"After the fire, father can't get a job. His legs, Tsuge..." Haru shook her head fretfully at the memory of the tangled, charred mess that had once been her father's long limbs. Her attack on Tsuge doubled. "He tried to get another job, but no one will hire him with his disability. Suddenly I'm the only one who can bring in any money."

"What about a normal job? What about being a maid or something..."

"That won't pay the rent and the food _and_ the new expenses needed to tend to my father. Tsuge, you know that people pay a lot less to women, simply because of their gender. If you had to live on Hiromi's wages alone, how would you manage it?"

Tsuge cringed as he thought of his twin sister's meagre wage. "Point made."

"What about you? How did Hiromi react to the idea of you joining the King's Guard?"

"Okay, she was a little... reluctant..."

Haru snorted. She imagined the girl had been hysterical.

"Hiromi's all for me returning to the carpenter's apprentice, but we both knew it wasn't working out anyway."

Despite everything, Haru laughed. "Yeah, who would have thought you were allergic to sawdust?"

"And we thought it was the cat." Tsuge shook his head and scooted back from the tangent. "Hey, keep to the topic. My point is..."

"Your point is that you don't really have a point at all," Haru said flatly.

"No, my point is..."

Haru just made a face and quickly ended the conversation by swinging the stick round and bringing Tsuge to the ground. "The conversation's over, okay? Just... keep your mouth shut about this, alright?"

Tsuge knocked the weapon away and got to his feet. "What kind of idiot do you take me for? Of course I'm going to keep this quiet. But–" with his words he raised his own weapon towards Haru – "I'm not going to cover for you. You're not going to drag me into this mad scheme."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay. I wasn't going to ask for your help anyway." She swung round her stick in an impatient manner. "Best out of three?"

Tsuge grunted an affirmative answer reluctantly, and they started up again. When the practise session had come to an end, Haru had proven several times over that she was the better out of the two of them, which only added to her stubbornness. By that point, Tsuge had given up all idea of persuading her to leave.

"Hey, Haru, are you coming down to the Lion with the rest of us?" one of the other boys asked as they put their equipment away.

"The Lion?" Haru echoed dumbly. The name rang a bell, but she couldn't bring it to mind.

"The Red Lion," Tsuge supplied quietly. "The pub that Hiromi works at."

"Oh. Okay; I'm game."

Tsuge gave a funny look. As they exited the courtyard and headed to the public house, Haru asked, "What? Stop giving me that look."

"Do you even drink?"

Haru shrugged. "Well, I sometimes drink a little wine over meals... Anyway, I thought we were just going down for lunch."

The youth shrugged. "Officially, yeah. The other boys still drink. Don't worry; I'll look after you."

"I don't need your protection, thanks," Haru replied icily.

"If you say so."

They entered the pub, and Haru found herself joining Tsuge and a couple of other boys at a table. With the sudden intake of youths, the volume level in the public house increased tenfold and Haru found she had to shout to make herself heard. She discovered the dirty-blond boy went by the name of Nicholas, while the darker haired one was called Machida. Both of them were asking about her father – asking for tales and asking for tips, since Haru must be very talented with General Yoshioka as a father, they reasoned loudly.

"Oh, father taught me, but he's always saying that it's practice rather than any magic formula that is the key," Haru said confidently, remembering her father's repeated words. She was fine with this; she could talk about this stuff.

"Still, you must know some techniques that your father taught you," insisted Nicholas, his freckled face lighting up with curiosity.

"Give up, Nick," Machida sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Haru isn't going to tell us anything. He's going to keep his secrets to himself."

Haru became a little heated at that throwaway comment. "I'm not keeping secrets," she maintained. To her right, Tsuge snorted. Haru reddened. "Not about my father's training, anyway," she amended quickly. "It really is just practice."

Tsuge rolled his eyes and quickly ordered four drinks as a barmaid passed.

"Pull the other one," the other boy replied to Haru. "Listen, if you want to keep your training secret; fine. Just don't expect help from the rest of us then."

Haru huffed and threw her hands up in the air. "Tsuge, help me out here! You all saw how I fought against the Baron – there was no special technique in that, was there?"

Her friend shrugged. "Haru's got a point, boys. All she did was kick him."

Nicholas looked around. "You might want to lower your voices. The Baron is over there." The boy motioned across the room to a table occupied by three men.

"Who are the other two?" Haru asked curiously.

"The tall guy with the black hair is Master Toto – he works at the stables and apparently teaches us combat on horseback," said Tsuge. "The... larger fellow is Muta. He didn't give a rank or anything; he just goes by Muta. I don't know what he teaches, but I think he helps the Baron if needed."

"Yeah, well I doubt anyone is going to argue with _him_," laughed Haru.

"Careful; they might be able to hear you from there."

"Point made."

The same barmaid as before passed by with a tray and passed out four glasses. "There we are, four bitters. Ready to order lunch yet, boys?"

"No, not quite."

"Okay; I'll send someone else round in a couple of minutes."

Haru regarded the large glass of frothy alcohol sceptically. "We're having this at lunch?"

"Drink up," Machida ordered. "Don't want to waste decent bitter."

Haru still continued to peer hesitantly into the drink.

"What's the matter? Never had alcohol before?"

"I've drunk before," Haru insisted. "Just... not this particular type..." She sniffed at the top and found it to have a distinctly... dusty smell. Looking up, she saw the boys taking large gulps out of their glasses. Half-shrugging to herself, she made to do the same. She could handle whatever they could.

At her first mouthful, she found the name to be especially apt; the drink was unexpectedly bitter. Bitter to the point she chocked on her mouthful and spewed it across at her companions.

"Hey, what's the idea?" Nicholas demanded as he wiped away the liquid.

"You guys actually _drink_ this stuff?" she demanded back.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, don't take it personally, Nick," Machida responded, a sneer creeping onto his features. "Master Haru Yoshioka is probably accustomed to champagne and other drinks with his father that we mere common folk can't afford."

"I didn't mean it like that," she snapped back.

Tsuge was standing up and dragging his friend out. "I'm sure Haru just needs some fresh air," he said, and continued to guide her forcibly out into the beer garden. When they were away, Tsuge's calm facade slipped. "What was that all about?"

"That drink is foul – how do you _drink_ it?" she responded.

"It's an acquired taste."

Haru just made a face. "Uh-huh." She didn't sound convinced.

"Look, can you just... not make a fuss out of it?"

"Fine. But I'm not drinking any more of that... _foul concoction_."

"Right, when we go back, I suggest you apologise."

"Me? Apologise?"

"Yeah. Haru, you really don't want to attract attention to yourself. So far you're doing a ruddy bad job of it."

The brunette's shoulders sagged at the weight of his argument. "Okay. But it wasn't just me stirring that argument."

"Would you just go and apologise already?"

She sighed and finally allowed Tsuge to direct her back to their table. "Sorry, guys," she apologised. "I guess I'm just a bit under the weather – you know how everything tastes funny when you've got a cold."

The two boys slowly lost their insulted expressions, although Machida didn't look particularly won over.

"Whatever. Would you just order already, otherwise we'll be late for afternoon practice?"

"Fine." Haru did her best not to glower, but it was a challenge. She picked out a simple meal, aware that she didn't have much spare cash on her.

"Right," the barmaid muttered, looking over her list. "I think I've got that all down. Oh, and Tsuge? Mother said that if you could pick up some groceries this afternoon, it'd be much appreciated."

"Yes, Hiromi." Tsuge sounded rather embarrassed at his sister's ability to easily boss him around. He tactfully ignored Machida's and Nicholas's wicked grins.

Haru jumped as she realised the voice was familiar. She kept her head down, furiously hoping that Hiromi wouldn't notice her. Unfortunately, luck was rarely on her side.

"Who's your friend, Tsuge? Oh, it's you, Haru!" The girl squealed and threw her arms around her friend. Haru began to curse that she hadn't had the foresight to tell Hiromi about her recently rash decision. "You haven't been round to see me in ages! For goodness sake, what have you been doing if you can't even spare some time to see an old friend once in a while?"

"Hi-_romi_..." Haru wheezed, trying to put some stress into the name. Hiromi took little notice. Suddenly the lighter brunette stopped and looked over at her friend. However, the question that Haru had been expecting didn't come.

"What are you doing decked out in that uniform? You never said you were in the King's Guard!" Then Hiromi paused, and her eyes widened. "Hang on, I thought only guys–" She never got any further as her brother hastily placed a hand over her mouth.

"Forgive my sister," he hurriedly said. "She's always a tad hyper after her lunch break. _Don't you have some job to do?_" he asked through clenched teeth.

Hiromi glanced between Tsuge and Haru as she removed her brother's hand. "Alright." She paused before she went. "But you two have some _explaining_ to do later."

Haru sighed as the girl left. That could have been awkward to explain had Hiromi got any further. She already spotted that Hiromi's outburst had caught a few of the other pub occupants' attentions.

"Well, that could have gone better," Haru sighed as they left the building an hour later.

His humour restored with a full stomach, Tsuge only laughed. "Cheer up, Haru. You can only make a bad first impression once."

"That was _not_ the reassurance I needed."


	3. Striking the Flag

Chapter 3: Striking the Flag

"Take out your horses and meet me in the courtyard. _Now_, people!"

The trainees jumped and hurried into the stables, hastily saddling their steeds. Tsuge stuck close to Haru, still on edge after lunch at the Red Lion. Haru, however, lacked the uneasiness of her friend, much to Tsuge's chagrin.

"Haru, you've got to act normal," Tsuge hissed, trying to prevent the others from overhearing.

"What?" she demanded back. "I _am_ acting normal! What's wrong with how I'm acting?" She brought Taro out of the box and threw the saddle over his back.

Her friend glanced nervously around, but no one else was interested in their conversation. "Well, you're lousy at keeping a low profile–"

"So I was late. Sue me." Haru brought the straps round Taro's stomach and checked everything was clicked in place. The last thing she needed was falling off Taro before the rest of the group. "Look, it was a simple mistake..."

"One that now means the Baron knows your name."

"It could have happened to anyone," Haru insisted, brushing it off. "Now, if you don't mind, I would prefer not to make the same mistake with the horse-guy."

Tsuge gave her a pitying look. "Master Toto, Haru; it's _Master Toto_."

"Whatever."

"You can't go calling Master Toto 'the horse-guy'..."

Haru grinned and slipped the bridle over Taro's head. "Not to his face, of course. Tsuge, are you going to get your horse saddled or are you just going to talk all afternoon?"

Tsuge scowled as he disappeared into the box that held his stallion.

"I'll see you in the courtyard then!" Haru called sweetly and led Taro out of the stables. She smiled to herself and patted Taro's side as she led the horse outside.

"Mister Haru, I presume?"

Haru was still having problems becoming accustomed to being referred to as 'Mister' or 'Master' Haru all the time. However, she still turned to the owner of the voice. "Yes sir... Master Toto," she amended.

"You're the lad that was late this morning, were you not?"

Bang went the chance of being anonymous. It appeared her first impression was going to haunt her for a while yet.

"Yes, sir. You see, my room at home faces east, so I'm usually woken when the dawn comes, but my room here is facing north so..."

"Stop babbling and stand up straight."

Haru quickly closed her mouth, trying not to look too humiliated and straightened her posture. "Sorry, sir."

"And in future, try to arrive at practices on time."

Haru had to bite her tongue to stop a snappy retort escaping her guard, but she allowed herself to stiffly say, "Sir, in my defence, it has only happened once and you cannot assume that I will repeat the mistake in future."

"It better not."

"It won't," Haru promised tightly. "Now, instead of lecturing me on my timekeeping, perhaps you should teach the class." She stared icily as the man equally-coldly nodded and moved to the front of the courtyard.

"I see you're making friends," a friendly voice commented from her side.

"Shut up, Tsuge."

Tsuge grinned momentarily, but then what Haru dubbed his 'serious face' returned. "I did say try to keep a low profile, remember?"

"I didn't start it."

"Uh-huh."

"You don't need to sound quite so sceptical. Honestly, I'm starting to believe all the teachers have something against me."

"Paranoid."

"_Realistic_."

"Haru Yoshioka, would you detain from disturbing the class?" Master Toto called from the front.

Haru made a face. "See?" she whispered to Tsuge, muttering to him from behind Taro so the teacher wouldn't spot her. "He's deliberately picking on me."

"You _were_ talking."

"So were _you_. But _I'm_ the one who gets picked out."

Haru's suspicions didn't diminish during the rest of the lesson either. If anything, they grew. The man seemed to take every opportunity to tell Haru that she was doing something wrong – either her posture wasn't good, or she wasn't holding the reins properly or just generally not paying attention.

"I... am _really_ beginning to lose my patience," Haru growled to Tsuge at a moment where they could pause. "I know how to ride a horse, but by the way he's talking, you'd think I was a five year old stealing away with the family mule!"

"Perhaps he's just trying to improve your technique?"

Haru gave him a withering look.

"Or... perhaps you're right..." Tsuge finished lamely.

"Thanks for the support," the brunette said flatly. "Next time that old goat comes around I might just set Taro on him."

"Old... goat?" her friend repeated doubtfully. "You know he's only a few years older than you, right?"

"Yeah, and so's the Baron; that doesn't stop him from acting all high and mighty." Haru leant forward and tapped Taro on the head. "Right, the next time that guy comes around, you bite, okay?"

Taro snickered and neighed a tad evilly.

"Haru, the horse can't understand you."

"What? Don't let him hear you say that!" Haru cried, mock-dismayed as she covered the stallion's ears. "You'll upset him!"

Tsuge shook his head tiredly. "Honestly, you are unbelievable."

"I know."

"Slacking again, Mister Haru?"

Haru couldn't stop herself from jumping as the words, "No, sir, of course not," sprung straight out of her mouth.

The Baron looked to Haru's friend. "Mister Tsuge, you appear to be taking a break also. Try not to pick up bad habits."

Haru's lips pursed as the young noble left them; losing her composure for a moment to shout, "I'm not a bad influence! What?" she added to Tsuge, seeing his carefully constructed expression.

Tsuge raised an eyebrow and brought his hands up in a half shrug. "I'm not saying anything."

"Better not be."

Haru slouched in the saddle, only to be shouted at a moment later by Master Toto to straighten her posture.

'_Today is just __**not**__ my day_.'

ooOoo

Haru's mood had failed to lift by the end of the lesson; if anything, it had sunk yet further. She had given up counting the number of times she had been shouted at – she had stopped when she ran out of fingers – and had also given up concealing her almost-permanent scowl.

Although she hadn't gone as far as letting Taro bite Master Toto yet.

"Sick and tired of this," she muttered to Tsuge as she threw the saddle to the side. "This is ridiculous."

"So are you going to leave tomorrow morning?"

"Of course not."

Tsuge's shoulders sagged. "I didn't think so. Aw well, it was worth a shot."

"It was a _long_ shot," Haru amended. She patted Taro's neck after removing his bridle and reins. "But you were a good boy," she gushed to the horse. "Weren't you? Such a good horsie..." She rubbed behind his ears, earning a content whinny.

Tsuge stared with one eyebrow still raised. "You are _such_ a girl."

"Only when the occasion calls," she replied casually.

"Is the occasion calling for it right now?"

"I'm praising my horse; of course the occasion is calling for it."

Tsuge sighed and, taking Haru's wrist, led her away from Taro. "Could you stop babying him? It looks a bit weird for a guy to be talking to his horse."

"What? Don't guys speak to horses?"

"Not in a girly voice," Tsuge replied tightly.

Haru opened her mouth to spit back a retort, but at that moment the other man who had lunched with the Baron and Master Toto arrived at the stables.

"Hey, you lot, don't get too relaxed. You think we'd let you off while there's still sunlight? Stable your horses and meet me out back," the large man called and disappeared back outside.

"Oh great," Haru muttered. "And I thought I was done making bad first impressions. What did you say that guy was called?"

"He just called himself Muta."

"Muta, huh? Doesn't exactly strike inspiration into me."

"Could you stop complaining and just finish stabling Taro?" Tsuge demanded. "Talking of bad first impressions, you could really do with not being late again."

"Don't really see why I bother," the brunette muttered, putting the last few pieces of gear away and giving Taro a goodbye pat before heading out. "I was spot on time for Master Toto and it made no difference."

"For goodness sake, Haru, if you're going to moan the entire time, why don't you give up and go back, already?"

Haru froze, then after a moment gave in and sighed. "Am I really complaining that much?"

"You've been complaining since we started."

"Sorry."

"It's... well, I'd say 'it's fine' but that would be a lie. Just stop with the pessimistic talk, okay?"

"Okay." Haru walked through the courtyard and through another set of doors at the far end. Arriving at another set of doors and slipping outside, Haru stopped to take a look. "So this is what he meant by 'out back' huh?"

Tsuge followed through and also paused. "Well, it's a nice setting."

"Very nice," Haru agreed. The neatly-cut grass that was maintained for most of the town had given way to a thick, overgrown variation that was quickly scattered by the old oaks of an ancient wood. In the early evening, dusky light had gathered beneath the bows of the trees; harbouring darker-yet shadows and knotted vegetation. As if to further prove its size, in the distance several hills rose, each covered in a forest carpet.

The rest of their group were either standing at the outskirts of this extensive forest or heading to there. To Haru's muted relief, only the man Tsuge had called Muta was there; Master Toto and the Baron were nowhere to be seen.

"Right, are we all here? Any stragglers still hiding in the stables?"

One of the group confirmed that the stables were all clear.

"Right, I introduced myself as Muta this morning – no, before you ask, that wasn't the name I was given and I would thank you not to ask further – and I teach, well, whatever's left. Unlike Baron and _Master_ Saddlebrains, I'm not going to put you through the basics – I expect you're quite sick of wielding sticks and going round in circles on your steed."

There was a scattering bout of laughter at the uncannily accurate portrayal of the day's activities.

"Yeah, I know what today's been like. But now you're going to get something a little different; something a little bit more – dare I say it? – active. Anyway, I need you lot to be in two teams... let's say, split it down... here..." The man motioned in the middle of the group, and gestured for them to separate. "Yes, you with the freckles, you're on the right. Blondie, on the left."

To her relief, Haru was in the same team as Tsuge – the only other people she knew by name were Machida and Nicholas and they were on the other side. However, Haru wasn't sure whether she was glad of that arrangement or not.

"There we go... Right, somewhere in this forest is a flag that you need to capture – same flag for both teams – and bring back to your team leader. Team on the right – your leader is Master Toto... if the birdbrain ever turns up..." Muta muttered to himself. "Team on the left, you're lucky enough to have me. Hey, you overgrown crow, get yourself over here!"

Most of the group jumped at the man's abrupt shout.

"Alright, lard ball, I'm coming." The dark silhouette of Master Toto appeared from the doors behind them and headed over to the class.

"I said that we were doing Capture the Flag; can't you even turn up on time?" the other man demanded, not bothering to turn down the volume.

"Unlike you, I've got to manage the horses, moron."

"Excuses, excuses."

"That's rich, coming from an irresponsible pudding-brain..."

Haru watched the proceedings with slowly mounting disbelief. Okay, neither men were that much older than herself, but they were acting more like squabbling siblings than teachers.

"Enough," the taller of the two suddenly commanded. "We should get this started before we lose the evening light."

Muta huffed, but complied. "Alright, the rules are pretty simple; first team to retrieve the flag is the winning team and when the flag is brought to a leader, either myself or hay-head will give a blow on a horn. There is no time limit but if it gets too dark, we may end the challenge before either team has retrieved the flag. The two teams will start from different points and neither leader can give help to their group."

Master Toto snorted. "Like you haven't broken that last rule before."

"Hey, that game was a fluke."

"Two minutes? No one's ever done it that fast before. Admit it, pudding-breath, you cheated."

"Did not. You're just a sore loser."

Haru glanced tiredly up to the sky; if they kept this up they would lose the evening light before they even started. "Can we begin already?" she demanded loudly, not caring whether she was butting in on their argument. "I'm getting cold standing around doing nothing!"

"Alright. I'll take my group round to the second starting point – we start in five minutes?"

Master Toto nodded stiffly and Muta lead his team round the edge of the wood.

"Sir..." Haru started slowly.

"It's Muta. I don't go for all that 'sir' stuff," he said gruffly.

"Um, okay. What does the flag look like? 'Cause it seems a little strange that we're not getting any details of the target."

"Trust me, kid, there won't be many flags flapping around the forest."

"Oh, okay." Haru hesitated as she stepped round some uneven ground. "And, sir- I mean, Muta, how are we meant to do this? I don't know about anyone else, but I haven't been round this part of the forest and I don't know the terrain at all. How are we meant to navigate our way round somewhere we don't know?"

The man paused and looked over at the brunette. "What's your name?"

"Haru. Yoshioka," she added after a moment.

"General Yoshioka's son?"

"Yeah."

Muta considered this, then shrugged and carried on walking. "Well, Haru, I guess you'll just have to learn your way around pretty quick."

"I've been doing that all day," Haru mumbled to herself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

They stopped at an identical piece of forest edge, with nothing remarkable to mark it out from the rest. "Hang on, Haru Yoshioka? You're the guy who was late up this morning."

Haru grimaced. That was one ghost that wouldn't stay buried in the past. "Yeah."

"And got on _Master _Toto's nerves?"

"I... uh... maybe?"

To her surprise though, the man guffawed. "Man, I haven't seen birdbrain in such a huff since I swapped all the horses in his precious stable around!"

"You... swapped the horses round?"

"Yeah. Well, it was payback for the time he padlocked the fridge. And then there was the time before when I hid all the stable gear, although he did get me back by exchanging the salt and the sugar round... It sounds trivial, but it's put me off tea for life. I can't even have any of Baron's special blend anymore..."

"Okay..." Haru struggled for a moment to say anymore before finally asking, "Why does he hate me?"

"Hate you? He doesn't hate you."

Tsuge, who had wandered in on the conversation at Muta's listing of his and Toto's feud, smirked and said, "Told you."

"He's just bugged that you've got his girl."

"Told you–" Haru made to retort, before pausing, horrified. "What do you mean 'got his girl'? I haven't got a girl!"

Tsuge tried to hold back a laugh, but Haru still heard him mutter, "I hope not."

"Oh, really? Well, he was more than a little miffed at your fond greeting with the barmaid."

"Hiromi?" Haru asked, remembering her best friend's hello. After a moment, she added, "She's not going out with anyone..." Well, as far as Haru knew.

Muta grinned wickedly. "He's ever hopeful."

"She's my sister!" Tsuge burst out with, unable to keep quiet anymore.

"She is? Well, you take that up with birdbrain. I'm keeping out of it."

"I'm not... involved with Hiromi," Haru insisted. "We're just friends."

"Uh-huh, that's what they all say."

"I mean it!"

"Tell that to the idiot back there," Muta said casually, motioning the way they'd come. "I'm sure he'd be mightily relieved to know that she's still available."

"I will."

"She's my sister!" Tsuge repeated heatedly.

"That's very nice," Muta said absent-mindedly, checking the time. "Right, the other team should be starting about now. Get going – and make sure you beat birdbrain's team or no supper tonight!"

"Do you think he's serious?" Tsuge wondered as they made their way into the forest.

"I think he's highly competitive." Haru grabbed Tsuge's sleeve as she glanced around the forest. "Hey, we should stop and think before we get too lost in this place."

Tsuge reluctantly dragged his feet to standstill. "If we don't get moving the other team will get the flag before we've even made it ten yards into the forest." For emphasis for his point, he motioned to where the rest of the team were fast disappearing to.

"And if we do go mindlessly, head-first, then we'll end up going round in circles! Now, let's think – what direction are we travelling in?"

"Nowhere, 'cause we're not moving."

"Funny, real funny," Haru remarked and glanced up at the sky. "If the sun's in that direction, then we're travelling... west. So if we want to get back to the town, we go east."

"Well done, Sherlock; you work that out all by yourself?"

"Shut up, Tsuge. I don't see you making any helpful comments."

"Okay, what about when the sun goes down then?"

Haru continued to stare up at the sky, ignoring her friend. "It hasn't set yet."

"It will if we don't get moving."

"Touché. Instead of making sarky comments though, perhaps you could actually try to say something useful." Haru looked down from the sky and skimmed the area with her maple eyes. "We go that way," she abruptly said, pointing to her left.

"Why that way?"

Haru had already started off in the direction she had motioned and was now striding over uneven ground and side-stepping various pieces of autumn foliage. "That way, Tsuge, _because_ it's where the midpoint between the two starting places are."

"And?"

"_And_ because the flag is probably equal distance from both starting points, it's probably somewhere in the middle. Savvy?" Haru didn't pause as she explained; she just kept up her current pace.

"That's assuming they're playing fair."

"I know, but there isn't much else to go on. That is, unless you've got any bright ideas?"

Tsuge shrugged and followed his friend. "Nah, I'm good, thanks."

"Then less talking, more walking," Haru curtly ordered.

"What, you think the flag is going to overhear us talking?"

"I'm just suspicious because this sounds a little too simple."

Tsuge laughed. "We're searching for a flag that we don't know what it looks like, in a forest that we don't know, and you think this sounds a little 'too simple'?"

Haru shrugged and paused as they came to a break in the forest. "Meh. Call it a gut instinct. Actually, where was the Baron this afternoon?"

"If he's lucky, he's probably down at the Lion, drinking a nice cool pint of bitter..." Tsuge's gaze phased out and a goofy smile slipped over his face. "Oh, what I would do for a nice, cool pint..."

Haru slapped him.

Tsuge gingerly rubbed his cheek. "What?"

"Snap out of it!" she hissed irritably. "Get your head out of the pub, moron."

"Right. Sorry."

"Thank you."

Tsuge continued to massage his bruised cheek, as if slightly stunned by Haru's action. He tested his jaw before commenting, "You slap harder than Hiromi."

"Really?" Haru asked icily. "Why does that surprise you?"

Tsuge made an indistinct noise and continued to look disgruntled about the entire thing. "If you feel the urge to slap someone in future though, perhaps you should punch them," he suggested.

Haru paused and gave her friend a faintly amused look. "Is there any reason you're telling me this or are you just naturally a glutton for punishment?"

"It's just that you slap like a girl."

Haru raised her hand threatening; Tsuge cringed. "Not that I mean you're weak or anything!" he quickly added. "It's just that it looks girly! How many guys slap?"

Haru considered the question. "I'm sure there are a few out there."

Tsuge raised an eyebrow, although the motion of still rubbing his cheek rather ruined the look. "I'm just trying to help. Anyway, why does it matter where the Baron is?"

"I'm just saying; if the flag is guarded..." Haru allowed the sentence to hang in mid-air, allowing Tsuge to fill in the gaps – which he did with his usual unsubtle tact.

"You think the Baron is guarding the flag."

"Give the guy a medal; he got it right in one!"

Tsuge rolled his eyes and picked up the pace again; striding off in the direction that Haru had previously gestured to. "I said it once, and I'll say it again. _Paranoid_. There's nothing to suggest this is any more complicated than it already looks."

Haru huffed and picked up after him, automatically tugging at her sleeves as she walked, pulling them away so they didn't get in the way of her hands. Despite Tsuge's brazen reassurance that she was just being overly suspicious, she wasn't so quick to dismiss her qualms. Her instincts told her to be on her guard; she planned on respecting that.

As they sped southwards, Tsuge suddenly grabbed Haru's sleeve, stretching it out of shape. "Look – we've found it!" He pointed to a clearing ahead of them, with a blue flag secured in the middle.

"Wait... Tsuge..."

Her friend, however, wasn't paying much attention to her warning tone. "Come on, let's get it and scarper before the other team finds it!"

"Tsuge, wait!"

He rushed into the clearing, preparing to snatch the flag up when his foot snagged some rope hidden beneath the autumn leaves. Before he could take another step further, something was triggered and with a blur of the bright blue uniform, Tsuge was dragged upwards and left to dangle with one foot caught in a tight knot.

Haru laughed and carefully stepped out into the clearing. "I _did_ warn you."

"Shuttup and get me out of this trap."

Haru grinned and walked over to the helpless Tsuge, staring at his upside-down form. "Now, now, is that really the way to talk to someone who has your fate in their hands?"

"Sorry; I forgot my manners. Shuttup and get me out of this trap, _please_."

She patted Tsuge's cheek patronisingly. "Manners maketh the man." Gingerly walking across the clearing – wary of any more traps – she followed the lead of the rope until she found its source. "You better have feline reflexes, by the way," she warned as she knelt down to untie it.

"And why is that...?"

"You'll see."

The rope came undone in Haru's hands and Tsuge was abruptly released from his suspended imprisonment. Haru jumped as she heard a thump in the clearing, but laughed when she saw it was only Tsuge making re-acquaintance with the ground. "You okay?"

Tsuge pushed himself off the floor, spitting out blades of grass. "All this bother for one lousy piece of flag. Remind me why we're doing this again?"

"I thought it was because you were excessively competitive?" Grinning she moved over to the flag. Picking a stick up from the ground, she poked it tentatively, as if expecting it to bite. When, however, nothing failed to happen she took the pole and slipped it out of the ground; ducking as she did so, and jumping away from the spot in case something jumped out at her.

Tsuge watched Haru's actions with an unimpressed air. "Finished?"

"Hey, I was just wary of another trap."

He took the flag off Haru and spread out the material. "You shouldn't have been." He turned it around so Haru could see the word 'fake' painted on one side.

Haru snatched the flag back off him and stared at the word darkly for several seconds. "They said there was only one flag!"

"I think it was closer to implying..."

"Yeah, and mislead all of us. Come on, let's keep on going."

Tsuge stared at the brunette storming off further into the forest. "You're so stubborn."

"At times it's just as well," she called back and carried on going; the red herring flag gripped tightly in her hand. "It's been rather useful in the current situation."

"More like a nuisance," Tsuge muttered, but he kept his voice low enough that Haru didn't catch it as he hurried after her. For several more minutes they wandered through the forest with a vague purposefulness; Haru with the flag still clutched in one hand and Tsuge ducking past the branches beaten away by aforementioned flag. The minutes ticked by, but eventually Haru stopped Tsuge again with the same motion as before, but with an additional, more frenzied gesture for him to be quiet.

"What?" he whispered. "What is it?"

Haru pointed silently between the trees to a flash of blue amongst a small clearing.

"The flag?" Tsuge mouthed to her.

She nodded, but grabbed his sleeve before he could start forward. With one hand still firmly on his sleeve, she pointed to the clearing again. This time Tsuge saw movement. Haru sent him an 'I told you so' look when the familiar form of the Baron came into view.

"Okay, okay, so you were right," muttered Tsuge. "Now what do we do?"

Haru passed him the decoy flag; a sly smile slipping over her face. "I've got a plan."

ooOoo

The relative peace of the forest was never going to last; the Baron could have told anyone that. Still, it had lasted longer than he had expected. Then again, it _was_ the new trainees' first attempt at capturing the flag...

Anything else he was going to add to that thought was broken up as movement was seen beyond the clearing. Watching, he saw the slender form of Haru hesitantly walk out, but with the Baron still between her and the flag. The staff in his hands didn't move; he waited for the other to make the first move.

Haru, on her part, had her eyes systematically flicking between her target and the Baron.

"Am I the first person to find the flag?" she asked, her eyes moving to the Baron indefinitely.

"Today you are."

Haru peered over to the flag and took a few tentative steps forward. The Baron's staff blocked her way before she got near it. "Let me guess... I've got to get past you first?"

"Indeed."

She regarded the staff balefully before stepping slowly back. "You know, this really isn't fair," she commented, bending down to swipe a decent-looking stick from the forest floor, "because you've got a ready-made weapon and we weren't even warned about any of this." She weighed the makeshift weapon in her hands as she spoke, maintaining the pretence of indifference. "Is cheating the only way you can win?"

"We're training you to keep on your toes."

"Really?" Content with the feel of the stick in her hands, she charged and the hollow echo of wood beating wood reverberated through the forest. She ducked away before the other end of the staff could hit her and skidded to the side; still no closer to the flag. Nonetheless, she grinned at her opponent and impatiently passed her makeshift weapon from hand to hand. "So _is_ cheating the only way you can win?"

"Do you always talk this much?" he retorted back.

The grin widened. "Oh, _always_. It keeps me on my toes," she added wickedly.

Their wooden weapons clashed again as they tested the other for weakness; the sound taking on an almost rhythmic quality as they exchanged blows. Circling in the woodland clearing, they waited for the other to make the first mistake; for the other to slip up. Haru broke the monotony with a sudden attack, despite her disadvantage with the shorter weapon, and found her attacks were easily parried. Now she was concentrating, her verbal combat was lessened as she focused on the physical one instead and she pulled up the quality of the conflict with some more attacks of her own.

The Baron brought his staff down; Haru brought her makeshift weapon up and they both met in the middle. Haru's stick abruptly broke in two and she jumped away with the snap, but not before receiving a nasty hit on the shoulder.

Temporarily pausing the fight, she gingerly moved her left shoulder and, finding it still capable of movement, tested the two halves in her hands.

"Would you like to retreat?" the Baron offered; his staff still raised defensively before him.

Haru's gaze flickered to the flag. It was still there. "Not yet." She attacked again, but used the two shorter sticks to deflect the staff and, when the moment was right, abruptly released the staff and let the Baron stagger a few short steps forward as his momentum carried him on. She dropped one of the sticks to grab the Baron's staff and twisted it out of his grasp.

Haru grinned at her opponent again, now weapon-less. "Bested twice in one day; would _you_ like to retreat?"

"Not yet," he echoed, and he snapped up the discarded stick from the ground to start the battle again. Haru deflected his attack with the staff and matching stick, but at some point he brought his elbow round and delivered a nasty hit to Haru's right upper arm.

With a sudden cry, she dropped the staff in her hand, which the Baron snatched up quickly, and now the tables were turned.

"Rule three: weapon-less is not harmless," he warned.

Haru had dropped the second weapon in favour of grasping the injured area, and now she glowered over at her opponent, but not without signs of weakness. The thin line she kept her mouth set didn't hide the small tears of pain that squeezed adamantly past her guard.

"That hurt," she muttered.

"It wasn't a bad hit," he said, but his expression was changing now to one of concern. "You've received worse."

Haru rolled up the sleeve of her uniform to reveal a bandage extending down her arm. She unravelled part of it to expose a burn mark; the worst at the top of the am, while the lower burn was barely noticeable. She stared over at her teacher, who was showing the easily comprehensible signs of understanding. "Now, do you see?" she asked tightly.

"I... I mean... Yes." For the first time since their rather negative first impression, he was looking rather sheepish. "I'm sorry."

Haru grunted an indistinct response and rewound the bandage to hide the injury, pulling the sleeve back down. "I don't make a song and dance about it because it doesn't usually affect me."

"Was that from the ...? Sorry, forgive me for asking; it's none of my business," he quickly cut himself off with. Haru realised that it wasn't sheepishness on his part, but rather sympathy, however still, from the rather distanced teacher, she was surprised to receive such an emotion.

"No, it isn't any of your business," she replied, buttoning up her sleeve, "but, yes, it _was_ from the fire last month." She paused while trying to slip the button back into its hole; her eyes going distant as memories forced themselves upon her. "I was lucky though," she murmured, in a low voice that made it uncertain whether she was talking to the Baron or herself. "Others didn't have my luck." Her eyes flickered back up to her previous opponent; there was a certain shininess to her maple eyes that suggested she was repressing emotion. "I'll retreat now."

With a distinct lack of the boldness that she had possessed from before, she retreated into the forest before he could reply, where quickly she was rejoined with Tsuge. The boy was still carrying round a blue flag, which he swung happily in his hands.

"Hey, you did brilliantly," he congratulated. "I mean, yeah, the Baron got the better of you a couple of times, but it totally worked. He never even realised that I was swapping the flags around!" As they walked, he proved his point by waving the flag before Haru, which, rather noticeably, had nothing painted on either side. "He's going to be so annoyed when he realises he's got the fake one!"

Haru smiled weakly. "Well, I'm glad it's made your day." She continued to walk in the direction that – she hoped – Muta was in.

Tsuge paused and looked at his friend. "Haru, I may be a guy, but I'm not thick. What's happened?"

"I..." She sighed and started again. "He knows about my burn. He hit me there and I surrendered pretty quickly after that."

"Really? How did he react?"

"Well, actually... surprisingly sympathetically." A light furrow delved itself into Haru's forehead as she thought through the Baron's reaction.

Maybe first impressions could be misleading.


	4. Shower Time

Chapter 4: Shower Time

"Right, everyone, into the showers and then you can head off and do whatever."

Haru almost jumped a mile in the air. "Showers?" she repeated dumbly.

Machida elbowed past her, giving her a glower. "Yeah, showers. What; have you never had one before?" he snapped. He had had a pretty short fuse with her ever since she had come back from the flag challenge and it had got out that she had taken on the Baron single-handedly.

"I... Of course I have, it's just..." She glanced over her shoulder at Tsuge and repeated again, "... Showers?" with a certain air of despair.

Tsuge caught her tone and his mind booted into gear. "Showers? Oh, yeah, right. Okay," he sighed, steering her away from the shower block, "you are _definitely_ not going in there..."

"And, Mister Takeshi, Mister Yoshioka; where do you think you're sneaking off to?"

The two of them froze; with Tsuge still in the motion of steering Haru away. Master Toto was watching them with a beady eye and the unusual reference to them by their surnames was not a good signal.

"Well, you see, ah... Haru was... um..." stammered Tsuge for several seconds. "You know... she – _he_, I meant, he – was just..."

"Sneaking off without a shower. Well, Mister Takeshi, Mister Yoshioka; you may be unaware of this, but today has been a long day for all new trainees, and unless you want to repulse every living thing in the vicinity..." Master Toto said coldly.

"Toto, what's the problem?" The Baron arrived at the horsemaster's shoulder and looked over at the other two. Haru repressed a groan. Double trouble.

"These two were just wandering off..."

"We're not five," Tsuge snapped. "We don't need you to tell us to shower."

"Today has been a long day..." the Baron started, giving them a look that was not without a certain coldness.

Haru decided she should step in about now.

"Please, Mr Gicken... Mr Gikkinen... Mr Baron, sir..." she started, trying not to wince at her awkward beginning, but for the life of her she couldn't remember his surname, "it's a matter of my... well, my burns." Her voice was gradually shying away as she subconsciously rubbed at her tender arm.

"Burns?" echoed Master Toto; apparently completely in the dark over the whole affair.

"Burns?" repeated the Baron. "Plural?" he added, just to ensure it wasn't a slip of the tongue.

Haru nodded and continued to appeal to the Baron. "Yes, you see..." She hesitated, wondering how much she could invent without making it sound like she was an invalid. "You see... I have more burns around my... chest and I'm uncomfortable with... well, with letting others know about my injuries and showing my burns in public..."

She just hoped this was enough.

The Baron regarded her for a few seconds before finally giving a nod of defeat. "Okay. Where were you heading off to?"

"To... a friend's." The hesitation was caused by the near mention of Hiromi. She glanced to Master Toto, hoping he hadn't picked up the near miss. "They live nearby and they know about my... condition, so I was hoping to borrow their shower."

After another pause, the Baron nodded again. "Okay, but if you're too late back, mind you, the porter may give you grief on getting back into the premises."

Haru grinned with obvious relief. "Thank you, sir." She started out of the courtyard, with Tsuge moving to follow, but the Baron stopped her friend before he got anywhere.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Tsuge stared over at Haru and motioned rather confusedly to the brunette. "Well..."

"Mister... Tsuge, was it?"

Tsuge nodded. The return to being called by first name reassured him he wasn't in trouble this time.

"Well, Mister Tsuge, your friend is a young man and is quite capable of walking through the streets by himself. Unless you've also got a condition you'd like to share, I'd suggest you use the showers provided."

Haru smiled sympathetically at her friend on seeing he wasn't going to succeed here, and waved to him as she exited. "I'll see you later, Tsuge!"

He nodded a reply and turned to follow where the rest of the group had disappeared to.

Relieved that her excuse had been bought so quickly, she hurried out before the Baron had a chance to change his mind. Despite the growing dark, the streets were not empty yet; the autumn season meant that dark fell quicker than usual and so Haru wasn't the only one making her way along the roads. But still, no one spared her a second glance as she made her way to the Red Lion.

Instead of taking the front doors to the public house, Haru came round the back; tacking a stubborn gate that she could open, and a locked one that she had to climb over. Once there, she knocked at the back door.

"Pub's entrance is round the front!" a familiar voice called from within.

"Hiromi!" Haru called back, returning her voice to its usual pitch. "It's Haru; let me in!"

There was the sound of someone on the other side abruptly arriving and unlocking the door. Soon the lighter brunette was standing in the open door, regarding her friend. "Hi, Haru; imagine seeing you again so soon."

"Can we talk inside?" Haru glanced behind her, as if nervous that they were being watched. "Things are a little complicated right now."

"I bet it is." Without warning, Hiromi dragged her best friend inside and slammed the door. "I want a full explanation..."

"Can I use your shower first? It's been a long day."

"What; don't you have showers where you're staying?"

"There _are_ showers," Haru said, making her way upstairs, since Hiromi's rented room was situated above the pub for convenience, "but under the circumstances..."

Hiromi caught on. "Ah, okay. You _are_ going to explain what's going on, though, aren't you?"

Haru let herself into the bathroom, but at the question, peered back out. "Of course I am." She closed the door and retreated into the room.

"It's just that you failed to tell me before you turned up here at lunch in your new uniform!" Hiromi called through the door.

"I'm sorry, okay!" Haru called back. "I had... a lot on my plate at the time."

Quarter of an hour later, Haru reappeared, happily clean and again in her King's Guards uniform, since she was lacking in any spare clothes. She hadn't rebound the bandage around her chest yet, but had decided that she would deal with that before she left. She came into Hiromi's room with a small towel halfway through drying her shortened hair.

"You know, this hair is so much more manageable than before," she marvelled, rubbing away the last few drops of water on her head, "and it dries so quickly. When this is all over, I might just think about keeping the hairstyle..."

Hiromi, who was sitting at the edge of her bed, just raised an eyebrow at Haru's choice of clothing. "Don't you have any other clothes?"

"Well, I do, but I don't have any _guy_ clothes. Or any spare clothes generally on me right now. I mean, I did get a second guard's uniform, but they're back in my room. I should probably have picked them up."

Hiromi shrugged. "Well, I would say you could borrow some of Tsuge's clothes, but he's got a different build to you."

"No, duh," Haru added. "And anyway, it'd be way too weird to borrow some of his clothes."

"Okay. Hey, I could get you some," Hiromi offered. "I know that you don't get much time off, so maybe I could go into town and get some casual guy clothes for you."

"You'd be fine with doing that?"

"Yeah – I could probably work out your sizing as well. I'll try and have the stuff by tomorrow lunchtime."

"Oh, well, thanks."

"Oh, and by the way, you promised an explanation," she added bluntly.

"So I did!" Deeming her hair dry, Haru took up a chair and draped the towel over the arm of the seat. "Well, basically, I've disguised myself as a guy in order to get into the King's Guard, because the pay's so much better than anything I would get as a girl, and with my father crippled and my mother... you know..." Haru mumbled a bit at that, "I'm the only one who's bringing in any money. Any questions?"

Hiromi had the grace to look concerned – and slightly confused. "But surely your father can get another job. Some job that doesn't require..."

"Moving?" Haru supplied dryly. "Hiromi, he's been in the King's service for all of his working life – he doesn't know any other trades. Even if he did, people aren't going to employ him because of his disability. The army life is all he's known and now that he's been... dropped from that..."

"Don't you get a- a pension or something?"

Haru sighed and brought her knees up against her chest to lean her chin on them. "The King is spending most of his money on his precious war – what is one more crippled man to him?"

"But your father is a _general_!"

"_Was_. _Was_ a general, but now he's no use. The letter that came through said that he 'is of no further use to the King's service' and that until he is 'fit enough to continue service, he will not be recalled'. And we know my father's never going to walk again, so what is the use of hoping?"

Hiromi sighed and slipped off the end of her bed to give her friend a hug. "It'll all work out; you'll see. Somehow."

"How, Hiromi? This mad scheme – yes, I know it's mad – is the only way I can keep what's left of my family afloat. Short of marrying into a rich family," she added with mild distaste.

"What about when your real identity is discovered? This won't last forever."

The darker brunette shrugged tiredly. "I don't know. I know that sooner or later I'm going to make a mistake, but maybe when that happens I'll have proved my worth so they've got to let me stay. And if not..." She trailed off, leaving that possibility open with uncertainty. "Look, all I _do_ know is that however short-term this is, it's longer-term than simply selling off our possessions."

Hiromi paused, to take this in. "There's still the marriage option," she offered.

Haru gave her friend a withering look.

"Okay, dumb suggestion, I know. It was just a thought." Hiromi sighed again and sat down with her back against the end of her bed, looking over at her friend. Evidently, she decided to change the conversation onto something lighter, when she asked, "So... any hot guys in the King's Guard?"

Haru made a disgruntled noise in the back of her throat that may have been a snort, or a grunt. "Not really."

"Oh, come on!" Hiromi wheedled, leaning forward; her eyes glimmering with amusement. "You're telling me that in the whole of the King's Guard, there isn't a single fit guy?"

"I'm telling you, out of the guys I've met so far, none of them are looking particularly impressive."

"You and my brother were with a couple of boys this lunchtime; what were they like?"

Haru made a face and leant back in her chair. "Machida is a jerk and Nicholas is about a year younger than me. Perhaps two."

"A year younger isn't too bad..."

"It's noticeable," Haru cut in.

"Oh, okay. Hang on, wasn't the age you're allowed to join the King's Guard eighteen?"

"It _was_, but due to the older guards being called out to join the army, the age has been lowered to sixteen."

"The war isn't going too well then, huh?"

"I haven't got a clue; we're not receiving any news from the front."

Hiromi mulled over the information given, before suddenly coming out with a fresh outburst of, "He was served beer yesterday! He's underage..."

"I know. But no one made a fuss of it, even if they knew he was only sixteen. Not to... insult the place, Hiromi, but you know that if someone looks vaguely at the right age, and they order a beer here, people don't usually mind. I'm not saying it's right. Also, I guess the uniform is sort of an automatic ticket, especially if people thought the recruiting age was still eighteen."

Hiromi sighed and returned to the previous topic. "I suppose it makes sense. So, what about the other guys in your group? I mean, surely they can't all be idiots."

Haru laughed. "Hiromi, the way things are going, I'm tempted to say that _Tsuge_ is the most sensible guy in the trainee group!"

"That bad, huh?"

"Nearly."

Hiromi regarded her friend, a look passing over her face. "Say... Haru... what do you think of my brother?"

"The same as always. He's a sweet guy, but a bit of an idiot at times. A bit like a brother. Why?"

The lighter brunette shrugged innocently. "Oh, no reason. Just curious. Anyway," she added hastily before the topic could be pursued further, "what about the teachers? Tsuge mentioned that the teachers were quite young."

"Surprisingly young," Haru agreed. "I guess it's because the older, more experienced teachers have been called into the army. Strangely enough, they're only several years older than us."

"Really?" Hiromi's eyes glazed over in a daydreaming fashion. "Are they hot?"

Haru snorted. "Hiromi, you've seen them in the pub."

"Oh, the three guys that turned up at lunch? The round one, the dark one, and the one with really, really green eyes?"

"Yes... that sounds like them."

"Are they single?"

"I think so... Hang on; what nonsense are you going on about the Baron's eyes?"

"Oh, is that what you call him?" That daydreaming gaze was returning with a vengeance. "He has the greenest eyes ever... They were like _emeralds_..."

Haru raised her hands in self defence. "Enough about his eyes!" she snapped.

Hiromi snapped out of her daydreaming state, her eyes eventually focusing back on Haru. "Sorry. What; don't you like him? You have to admit, he's not bad-looking."

"I'm not saying he's bad-looking, it's just that we don't get on," explained Haru with laboured patience. "I started off by getting up late this morning and he punished me by making me take part in the demonstration and ever since we've been at each other's throats."

"It's only been one day."

"Uh-huh, and all day he's been getting on my nerves, and me on his."

Hiromi gazed at her friend, a smile tugging at her lips. "Methinks the lady doth protest too much."

Haru reddened despite everything. "Oh, be quiet. Anyway, you quoted it wrong. It's 'the lady doth protest too much, _methinks_.'"

Hiromi made a face. "Figures you would know that, what with your mum being into that type of thing. Anyway, my point still stands."

"Point? What point? You haven't got a point. All you're suggesting is that I like the Baron, despite the fact that one; we've done nothing but annoy each other all day, two; I'm disguised as a guy so forming crushes is completely not an option right now and three; as you previously reminded me, it's only been a day."

"A day is long enough for a crush to set in," Hiromi teased.

"Oh, shush. I wasn't even complaining that much. If you like, I could complain about the other teacher."

"Which one?"

"The dark-haired one. He calls himself Master Toto, he looks after the horses there and he's been in a foul mood with me all day, all because..." Haru suddenly stopped and glanced over at her friend.

Hiromi seemed bewildered by Haru's abrupt stop. "All because of what?"

Haru shook her head. "Nothing. He just thinks that I'm competition."

"Competition? Competition for what?"

With reluctance, Haru finished, "For a girl."

Hiromi paused. "You _are_ straight, aren't you?"

"You know I am!" cried Haru, picking up the towel beside her and flinging it at her friend. "You've known me since we were kids, and you still have to ask me that?"

"Hey, I was just checking! So how has this guy got it into his head that you're competition for some girl?"

"He saw me talking to her, that was all."

"And he's being mean to you on account of that?"

"Yep."

Hiromi thought it over, then gave a long whistle. "Wow, you really know how to pick them. So let me guess, the other teacher hates you because you dropped a sword on his foot or something, right?"

Haru had the decency to look rather sheepish. "Actually, he's really pleased with me for getting on Master Toto's nerves. It appears there's a constant feud going on between them."

"I suppose you had to get lucky sometime."

Haru grinned.

"But still, what I don't get is how no one has started to question how your father has a daughter named Haru, and a son by the same name," added Hiromi thoughtfully. "I mean, you'd think by now someone would start asking questions..."

"People who know me as Haru, _daughter_ of Daichi Yoshioka, don't know that I'm part of the King's Guard–"

"Apart from me," Hiromi inserted.

"Apart from you," Haru amended.

"And apart from Tsuge."

"And apart from Tsuge," Haru amended again, with slight traces of irritation before proceeding. "And people who know me as Haru, _son_ of Daichi Yoshioka, don't know me or my family personally enough to question whether General Yoshioka had a son or daughter. In most cases, they're just aware that General Yoshioka has a child by the name of Haru."

"Yeah, but you were in the papers a month ago. Because of the fire and everything, your family was on the front page!"

Haru shrugged, trying not to be affected by the memory of the fire. "People have exceptionally poor memories when it comes to matters outside their own personal life. A month has gone by; new news has come and gone and although people are aware enough about... what happened, all they can remember is that the house of General Yoshioka was burnt down, his... wife was killed and he was crippled. People rarely remember the daughter who got away nearly unscathed."

Haru had attempted to make her voice sound casual, but she had only accomplished to make it bitter.

Hiromi's sympathetic gaze had returned. "You're still affected by what happened, aren't you?"

"Affected? Of course I'm affected," Haru admitted. Her voice went slightly hoarse and she, with a slight biting of lip, rubbed at her eyes at the tears that were at the gates. "I keep on seeing the moment which the beam fell on her... I saw her die, Hiromi; I saw her die, don't try to tell me that is something I should just get over..."

"I wasn't telling you to get over it," Hiromi soothed. "I think you should know that, as your friend, I will always be here if you need a shoulder to cry on."

Haru sent a watery smile over to her friend before cradling her lower face in her hands and taking a deep, shaky breath as she tried to steady herself. "Just talk, Hiromi."

"What?"

"Just talk. About anything, however trivial, however minimal. Just take my mind off last month, please."

The lighter brunette paused, surprised by the request, but, as asked, turned the conversation away onto a new topic. "Well... there's that Ball that's coming up soon, the masquerade. It's in honour of the Prince's engagement, although apparently there was some type of scandal over the whole affair, because the King was enraged by the fact his son had chosen a common maid – his words, apparently, not mine – and asked his son to call it off. However, the Prince wouldn't back down and now, since it's now official, the King can't do anything about it. According to rumours, the King isn't going to turn up to the Ball, and some people say it's because he's still not talking to his son, but we get quite a few of the King's Guard in here, and it sounds like it's because of the death threats the King has been receiving..."

Haru slowly picked her head up; brain tuning in to her friend's words. "What?"

"Didn't you know? Well, Chika – one of the other barmaids – overheard some of the King's Guards talking about some sort of death threats that the King has been receiving – all over the manner of the war," said Hiromi, her voice lowering into a 'gossip' tone. "By the sound of it, some people want this war to end so badly that if it means the King's head on a spike, then they'll gladly take such means. Chika didn't hear much else, but it seems some people have already taken some drastic measures that means the King is shaking in his boots, terrified that he's going to get bumped off."

"And yet... the Ball is still going on?" Haru asked curiously.

"Oh, yes. The King is intent on keeping up appearances, so apparently, he's going to claim to be ill, but his son and his son's fiancée are still going to be there."

Haru frowned. "What kind of coward is he to put his son and future daughter-in-law into the firing line?"

Hiromi shrugged. "Well, by the sound of it, it's only the King whose life is in danger."

Haru gave her friend a pitying look. "Think it through, Hiromi. If someone wants to scare the King into ending this war, an assassination attempt on his son would fit the bill nicely, wouldn't it?"

"Oh my... you're right! We have to tell someone–"

"By the sound of it, the King's Guard is already on the case," Haru cut in calmly. Now that her mind was being asked to think something through, she found her abilities to manage her emotions stabilised, her mind clearing. "Hang on, you guys listen in on conversations?" she suddenly asked.

Hiromi shrugged. "Only the interesting ones."


	5. A Hairy Situation

Chapter 5: A Hairy Situation

The next morning, Haru was awoken by a thunderous hammering on her door.

"Haru! Haru, wake up! You're late and you've missed breakfast!" Tsuge sighed and added, "Again."

Haru promptly fell out of bed. Again. Hearing the thump on the other side of the door, Tsuge groaned and called over, "You _are_ awake, right? You _are_ already up, aren't you?"

"Gimme a moment!" Haru called back. Stumbling over to her mirror, she checked her reflection was masculine enough. The bandages appeared in place, so she was soon replacing her pyjamas with a clean guard's uniform and was forcefully pulling a pair of shoes on.

"You haven't even got up, have you?" Tsuge groaned. "It's just that the Baron sent me up to collect you, because everyone is already up and ready," he added after a few seconds had gone by and still no Haru had appeared.

"Alright, alright, I get it! I'm late; I understand!"

"You know, if you wanted to make a decent second impression..."

"I've goofed, yes, I know." Haru slammed the door open and hobbled out, one shoe still in the process of being shoved on. "And if you wanted to stress me out, you couldn't have done a better job."

"Um, you're wearing odd socks..."

"_Thank you_, Tsuge." Ignoring her mismatching socks, she finished shoving her shoe on and started down the corridor. "And I bet the Baron is livid."

"He's... not impressed."

"You know, you'd think I'd learn not to make the same mistake twice," Haru muttered.

Tsuge rolled his eyes and carried on along the corridor. "If only."

They arrived in the occupied courtyard; the rest of the group standing around with the Baron standing at the front. He certainly was not impressed by Haru's repeated tardiness.

"Oh boy," murmured Haru with faint dread. She came forward and bowed apologetically to her superior. "I'm sorry, sir."

"Well, it appears our Sleeping Beauty has a liking to taking part in the demonstration," the Baron addressed to the group. Reddening, Haru ignored the familiar snickers and picked up her head to meet the gaze of the young noble.

"Sir, I would appreciate it if another person was selected for the demonstration," she said stiffly.

"Well then, you'd better arrive on time tomorrow." The Baron picked up a couple of familiar sticks and tossed one to Haru. Prepared for his action this time, she caught it with significantly reduced clumsiness than before. She glowered at her teacher. "Are we going to be taught anything today, _sir_," she asked, her voice going taut on the usual respective term, "or is this just an extension of yesterday?"

"You still have a lot to learn; today is a continuation of yesterday, but today I will focus on refining your technique."

"They're just wooden sticks," Haru said with distaste, weighing the hollow weapon in her hand. "What technique _is_ there?"

The Baron only smiled and suddenly moved in with an attack. Unprepared, Haru clumsily deflected it, but the Baron's weapon was brought around and low so that she was tripped up by it and met with some force on the cobbled ground.

"First you need to brush up on your instinct. Which rule have you just forgotten?"

Haru pushed herself off the floor, wincing at the grazes easily felt on her knees. "Haven't a clue, but it's probably something about staying alert."

"Rule two: never let your guard down. An enemy is not going to announce their intentions to attack."

Haru retrieved her stick from the ground. "There, see? I said it was something along those lines." Aware this time that he wouldn't warn her, she was quick to parry the blow that was aimed at her midsection, moving before she had even finished her sentence. She returned an attack of her own, which he easily deflected and now the usual routine of waiting for the other to make a mistake came into play. Despite the Baron's comments, Haru's instinct was well-refined and didn't fail her so quickly.

However, she eventually made a similar mistake as before and slipped on the cobbled stones, but this time managed to remain upright. In the process her weapon was twisted away and she lost it. In a moment she was captured with the stick at her neck as if like a blade.

"Rule one: always remember your surroundings," he reminded tightly.

"Rule three," Haru hissed back at him, and elbowed hard him in the stomach. She jumped away and snatched up her previous weapon. She wielded it between the two of them, struggling not to smirk. "Weapon-less is not harmless."

He regarded his opponent for several seconds before commenting, "You're improving."

"Thank you." The stick was still raised between them; she didn't trust him to lower it just yet. "And, while we're talking, I heard that there's going to be a Ball next week. Are we going to help with the security?"

The Baron lowered his own weapon, although he didn't relax. "I said you were improving, not that you're an expert now."

"Are we going to help?" Haru persisted.

"No." The Baron turned away from her to face the group.

"But we're good–"

Haru didn't get any further because at that point the Baron turned back and raised his weapon again and drove another attack, with Haru just adjusting her stick to deflect the blow. He feigned another attack, which Haru fell for, and whacked her hard on her upper right arm.

Like last time, Haru dropped her weapon instantly in the instinct to nurse the injured area. Biting back tears of pain, she glowered at her teacher. "That was unfair," she whispered, her voice wavering a little.

"In battle, your enemy won't fight fair," the Baron replied in a cool tone. "You lot are inexperienced, you're new; right now, in an emergency you'd only hinder and put yourself, and others, at risk. Don't question me."

Haru had been on the verge of backing down, but at his last order, she bristled. "'Don't question me'?" she repeated quietly, her eyes beginning to burn. "'Don't question me'?" Her voice picked up in volume as she spoke. She turned back round to her teacher. "Do you think we're some sheep made to blindly follow your orders?" She wasn't quite yelling yet, but she was well on her way. "That we're just dumb soldiers with no minds of our own? We can, we will and we _should_ question you if we think you're in the wrong! I don't care what rank or from what class you're from, I don't care if you're a baron, I don't care if you're our teacher, but if you think that I am going to just follow your orders blindly, you are _badly_ mistaken!"

The class drew quiet at her outburst, but it wasn't their reaction she was watching. Instead, chest still heaving, she waited for the Baron's response. She waited to be scolded, or shouted back at, or possibly thrown out.

What she wasn't waiting for was a subtle smile curving round his mouth.

"Good."

ooOoo

As the Baron – and Haru – had predicted, the lesson was more or less an extension of the day before, although Haru had to note that the Baron kept out of her way more than last time. She didn't know whether her last comment had made an impact, or whether he felt guilty over taking advantage of her injury.

She tried not to dwell on it.

All the same, that smile...

The session wasn't too bad after the frustrating start, and before long – to Haru anyway; Tsuge found it a bit more stressful after losing to Haru six times in a row – midday had passed and they were heading down to lunch. Remembering Hiromi's offer of bringing some clothes, she went with the rest of the group down to the Red Lion. Once again she found herself on the same table as Machida and Nicholas. Machida was noticeably less civil to Haru than before – she gained the impression this was caused by her recent successes, but she didn't try to wave a flag of truce. She decided that telling him she was 'sorry for being lucky enough to beat the Baron no less than three times and for being the one to retrieve the flag' probably wouldn't go down well. It sounded all too close to apologising for being better.

"What would you four like to drink?"

Haru's contemplations were awoken by one of the barmaids coming over. Tsuge was quick to order.

"I guess it'll be four bitters..."

"Three," Haru abruptly interrupted. She grinned sheepishly at the other three and the barmaid. "I'll just have some water."

"Okay. Are you ready to order lunch too?"

"No, could you give us a couple more minutes?"

The young woman nodded and returned to the bar.

"Hey, Haru; is our local bitter too common for you?" asked Machida snidely. "You could order some champagne, I'm sure."

Haru made a face, but otherwise failed to rise to the bait. "No thanks. I just don't feel up to beer." '_Not now, not ever_,' she mentally added.

"You could order something else," offered Nicholas kindly. "They don't just serve bitter here."

"No, I'm fine. I just feel like water." Remembering her previous conversation with Hiromi, Haru looked back at Nicholas. "Anyway, you shouldn't be even drinking. Under-eighteens aren't allowed to purchase alcohol."

"What are you; his mother?" scoffed Machida. "No one cares."

Haru rolled her eyes and decided to let it go. Whatever she said wasn't going to make a difference, evidently. "Fine. I don't get why you'd even want to have alcohol in the middle of the day."

"Oh, look at Mister Sober, showing the rest of us up..."

"I'm _not_ showing you up," Haru retorted back. "I just wanted some water." On seeing a barmaid walk back over, she turned round and said, "We're not ready to order yet. Give us a couple more minutes."

The barmaid looked a little confused. "Actually, I came over here to tell you that I had a message from Hiromi. She's asked for a Mister Haru to come over to the bar."

"Oh, that's me." Haru rose to her feet.

"Hang on..." Machida started.

"Oh, yeah of course." Haru leant back in and flicked through the menu. "If someone comes to take the orders, tell them I'll have the lamb option. Thanks." She grinned at the group and headed over to the bar before they could add anything else. "So, Hiromi, how was the shopping trip?"

The lighter brunette heaved a bag over the counter. "Well, I had to guess your guy size, so I'm hoping it's the correct size. If it's not; _tough_."

"Wow, I see you're loaded on the sympathy today." Haru moved the bag towards her and started rooting through it. "Alright, let's see what you got. Hm, well at least it doesn't look like I'm going to fall through the head hole in these shirts." Haru poked around in the bag before delving deeper. "Did you get a receipt?"

Hiromi grimaced and whacked her friend over the head. "Are you questioning my fashion sense?"

Haru gingerly brought her head up, rubbing the spot where she'd been hit. "I've been beaten up quite enough over the last two days, thank you very much. And, no, I wasn't questioning your fashion sense. Goodness knows from what I've seen of guys, they don't care a tuppance what they wear as long as it fits. Sometimes not even then." Haru paused, still in the motion of rubbing her head. "Am I stereotyping?"

"Yeah, but it's okay; I've got a brother. I do it all the time."

"Uh, okay." Haru lowered her hand and took another look through the bag. There was a smaller bag hidden away beneath the cloth contents, which she brought to the surface. "Okay, this doesn't look like clothes."

"Oh, um..." Hiromi took the bag off her and returned it to its previous place. "Perhaps you shouldn't wave that around."

"Why; is it breakable?"

"Not exactly. It was just a little foresight on my part." Hiromi paused, and then explained, "It's a wig."

"A _wig_?"

"Uh-huh. You know, like your hair used to be. I made an estimate of your hair colour, but it's pretty dark anyway, so it was kind of easy to guess. I just figured that if you needed for some reason – I haven't thought of a reason just yet – to be a girl, then you don't have to look like someone's attacked you with scissors."

"Hiromi," Haru hissed, "what are people going to think if they find me with it? While I'm a _guy_?"

"There's a simple way around that. _Don't_ let anyone find it. Anyway," Hiromi added casually, "if people _are_ going through your wardrobes, I expect a wig won't be the only thing incriminating you."

Haru made a face and stuffed the wig bag further into the depths of the clothes. "_Thanks_ for the encouragement," she said stiffly. "How much do I owe you?"

"Oh, it's fine."

"Hiromi, you and I both know you haven't got the money to spare."

Hiromi pushed the darker brunette back in the direction of the table, stuffing the bag into her hands. "And you and I both know you haven't got the money, let alone _to_ _spare_. Look, if you suddenly have a gold strike or something, then you can pay me back. With interest!" she called, as Haru started making her own progress back to her table.

"Well, what was that about? Oh, and we ordered your lunch, by the way."

Haru took her seat again, dropping the bag beside her chair in the action. "Thanks. Oh, and um, Hiromi said she could get me some spare clothes cheap," she lied in reference to the question directed to her. "You know, because of the fire and everything I don't have that many... spare clothes." Even to her, the phrase sounded clumsy.

"Hiromi knew where to get some cheap clothes and she didn't tell me?" Tsuge asked irately. "Where did she–?"

Haru sent him a glare that told him to shut up and abruptly butted in before he could finish the question. "She's feeling sympathetic for me because of the fire," she said through grated teeth. To ensure he received the message, Tsuge also received a complementary kick under the table.

Tsuge released a short "Ouch" of pain. "Kicked my foot against the table leg," he winced to the other two. After his lie he quickly sent an annoyed, _that-was-uncalled-for_ look back to Haru.

"Hey, maybe your sister can give us the details for this cheap seller too," Nicholas spoke up. "I mean, none of us are particularly well-off right now."

"Oh, no, you wouldn't be interested in them," Haru hurried said. "I mean, they're old, stuffy – positively falling to pieces! I don't know why Hiromi talked me into it really..." she rambled haphazardly.

"Well, we could take a look at what you got, and then decide." Nicholas leaned down to pick up the bag, but Haru was too quick and swept it up into her arms.

"Um, I don't think so." In her head she was thinking about the wig.

Her refusal was piquing Machida's interest now. "It looks like Mister Yoshioka has found a decent deal and doesn't want to share it with us," he commented. "Come on, Haru, what's in the bag?"

"Just clothes," she lied. On Machida's attempts now to snatch it off her, she raised it away. "Look, Hiromi's folded everything really neatly and I don't want to spoil it..."

"They'll get creased sooner or later anyway. Who cares?"

"I care. Come on, guys; just give me a break..."

"Got something!" Nicholas cried gleefully, for in her attention to keep Machida away from the bag, she'd failed to remember the other boy. He had jumped out of his seat and was waving a shirt above his head like a victory flag.

Haru jumped out of her seat too. "Give it back!"

"You'll have to get it first!"

Haru growled and threw the bag to Tsuge, who was just getting up. The force sent him back into the seat of his chair. "Hold that," she ordered, before proceeding to charge down Nicholas. This proved fruitless, as he tossed the shirt to Machida just before she reached him.

"Give. It. Back!" she snapped as she turned on her heel and sped round to the other side of the table. "You... you utter rotters!"

"Ooh, I see you're getting really offensive with the names now," Machida said dryly. "Catch, Nick."

Haru pivoted and changed direction. "Just give it back!"

"What do you think, Machida? Should we give it back just yet?"

"Nah," the darker boy said, his eyes glittering with amusement. He caught the thrown item of clothing, once again forcing Haru to change direction. "Let's wait until we get bored of this."

Haru pursed her lips and stopped running. Standing to the left of the still-sitting Tsuge – who had decided, for his own health, not to intervene – she scowled at the two other boys and crossed her arms. "Alright, if you find it funny to make me run round in circles–"

"Semi-circles, actually," Tsuge added in a subdued tone.

"Whatever. _Not helping_," she said tautly, raising a hand to shush whatever else Tsuge might had been about to add. "If you find it funny to make me run round in _semi_-circles, then I guess I'll just stop running. Perhaps this game will get boring soon then."

Machida carelessly tossed the now-bundled shirt from hand to hand, still grinning maliciously. "Is that a challenge?"

Haru kept her arms folded, but didn't reply.

Machida threw the shirt to Nicholas and they moved closer to Haru, tossing the shirt at quickened intervals until they were both only a few feet away and the item of clothing was passing only inches over Haru's head. Haru's eye twitched as she watched it fly past, but kept her arms firmly crossed.

"Aw, Haru; aren't you even going to try?" coaxed Machida. "Come on; I'm sure even _you_ could catch it at this distance. No? Not even going to try?"

Haru continued to watch the shirt fly over her head; her fingers now twitching in resisting the impulse to grab it. Eventually she snapped, and with a cry of, "Dammit it all!" she jumped for the shirt as it was returning to Nicholas; bowling over not only the freckled boy in the attempt, but also knocking over the seated Tsuge in the process.

Bruised, Haru clambered out of the tangle of limbs, clutching the shirt with a victorious grin on her face. "Thank. _You_. Idiots," she added under her breath.

However, in the action of knocking Tsuge out of his chair, Haru had also knocked the bag to the floor. Half its contents littered the floor around their table; steadily soaking up the dust that covered the floor like a finely – or not so finely in some places – carpet.

Haru's eyes, though, had moved straight to the smaller bag that had been sent scattering Machida's way.

And to her horror, he was picking it up.

"What have we here? Just clothes, you said? Someone was _lying_..."

Haru moved slowly forward to retrieve it, but the youth held it away from her; sensing that this was something different. Behind her, Haru heard the two other boys get to their feet.

"Can I have it back?" she asked calmly. Panic would only encourage him, she was sure of that.

"Not before I've had a look." With that same malicious grin as before, Machida dug a hand into the bag and dragged out a mess of brown strands. He righted it and it – albeit, untidily – fell into a vague head shape.

"A wig?" Nicholas asked, looking for unnecessary confirmation.

"A _wig_?" Tsuge echoed, although his cry contained a different note to it.

"A _female_ wig," Machida added for extra effect. "What are you doing with this?"

Haru stretched out her hand pleadingly. "Please, can I have it back?"

The boy holding the headpiece spun it round, making the brown strands twirl with it. "I wonder what you're doing with a wig like this... The hair's a bit long for you, isn't it?"

Behind her, she heard Nicholas laugh.

"Who's it for?"

A desperate mob of lies rose to her lips. "Me," she said truthfully, but that was going to be the only truthful thing she was going to utter. "It's for me. You can't find wigs for guys – and the only ones in my colour were women's ones. After the fire last month, they had to treat burns on my head and so, for health-sake, they shaved all my hair off. My hair hasn't grown back just yet and this wig is beginning to fall apart at the base." She extended her hand and repeated her plea. "Please, can I have it back?"

"Machida, perhaps you should," muttered a humbled Nicholas from behind.

"Shut up, Nick," Machida snapped. However, he lowered the wig so that Haru took one end. He didn't release it though. "How can you afford a woman's wig if you have to buy clothes on offer?" he asked suspiciously.

"Hiromi paid for it," Haru admitted.

"Haru!" scolded Tsuge. "My sister hasn't got enough money to spare on you..."

"I know; I told her that. But she _insisted_."

"So you and Hiromi... are pretty close then?" pursued Machida.

"We're just _friends_," Haru maintained, hearing the undertone. "We've known each other since we were kids. We're like _sisters_." She paused and, wincing, amended her statement with, "I mean, _she's_ like a sister to me. I'm not a sister. I suppose I'm like a brother. I should probably stop talking now," she added with a groan.

Tsuge didn't say anything, but Haru guessed, from his expression, that he agreed whole-heartedly with her statement.

"Machida, come on; give him the wig," Nicholas repeated. "It's not funny anymore."

Machida scowled and released the hairpiece. Haru stuffed it into the small bag and started collecting the rest of her clothes that had been scattered at the fall. Tsuge and – perhaps in trying to make amendments – Nicholas helped her, although Machida offered no assistance.

"Thanks, guys," Haru muttered, throwing a last shirt into the bag. "But if you don't mind, I'll be going now. I'm not really hungry anymore."

"Look, we're sorry if what we did upset you," apologised Nicholas. A scoff from Machida made him correct his statement. "Well, I'm sorry. You could stay..."

"No, seriously; I'm not hungry anymore." Haru checked she had picked everything up before smiling a little tiredly at the group. "I'll see you at Master Toto's lesson."

Haru exited the pub, leaving a faintly depressed mood at her previously occupied table. Not even when the food arrived did the group's spirits lift much.

Tsuge stared morosely at the plate of lamb sitting abandoned at the empty place.

"So, who's going to eat Haru's lunch?"

ooOoo

Haru didn't pause much in her march back to the garrison. She kept wrangling her hold on the bag, the tension twisting inside her gut as she thought about the near miss she'd had back there.

'_Stupid... __**idiot**_!' she berated herself. '_I am so, __**so**__ lucky that they bought the lie back there. If they hadn't... well, this adventure would have been over before it started. I should just be glad that my tongue is quicker than my common sense. __**Idiot**__..._'

She grimaced to herself, still angry at her mistake.

'_**Boys**_,' she scoffed mentally. '_Why couldn't they have just left well enough alone? This is getting tricky enough to pull off without having to add additional lies to the mix. I wonder how long it's going to take before the news that I wear a wig gets round the garrison...? As if my name wasn't already well-known enough as it is..._'

Any overly-negative feelings that could have followed these previous thoughts didn't, because at that point she walked straight into a tall blonde lady outside the front gates to the garrison. She blinked several times to regain her bearings and, on seeing the other woman was unhurt, murmuring an apology and went her way.

She had barely made it through the gates before another thought concerning the wig-story entered her mind.

'_What happens when someone tries to pull it off...?_'


	6. Temporary Home

Chapter 6: Temporary Home

"A wig? A _wig_, Haru? Are you mad? Are you completely, _utterly_ off your rocker?"

Haru cringed a little at Tsuge's irate questions, but didn't move from her place at the end of her bed while he paced up and down her room. The day's lessons had come to an early end after Muta had let them off from his session – although he had promised a repeat of Capture the Flag tomorrow. Master Toto had been his usual cold self to Haru, if not a little worse today – she supposed he had seen her talking to Hiromi. "Strictly speaking, it was Hiromi's idea," Haru told the pacing Tsuge. "She bought it for me without asking."

"You almost blew your cover; and only on the second day!" the boy continued to rant. "You were this close – _this close_ –" he repeated, holding his finger and thumb an inch apart as if an illustration was needed, "to getting discovered!"

"Could you lower your voice just a bit? The last thing I need is the rest of the garrison asking questions because they've overheard you shouting at me."

Tsuge opened his mouth to continue, but on Haru's point, closed it and contented himself with just glaring at her. "You're lucky they bought your lie."

"Tell me about it. Actually, on second thoughts, don't. Look, Tsuge, I'm sorry. Dammit, I seem to be saying that a lot over the last few days. It was just an innocent accident and it's not going to happen again."

"No, I expect by tomorrow you'll find a new way to almost give yourself away."

"Well excuse _me_ for trying to be polite..." Swinging her legs, she slipped onto her feet and started to unpack the rest of the bag's contents, folding them neatly and placing them in the drawers beside her bed. After a moment she paused in her chore in hearing Tsuge walk over to her.

"When are you likely to even disguise yourself as... you?"

She looked over her shoulder at the boy. "Well..." After a pregnant pause, she just shrugged her shoulders with the deceptive air of indifference. "You never know. If I visit my father, it might do to look like his daughter. I didn't ask Hiromi to buy me it," she added adamantly following a look from Tsuge. "But... you know... I might as well make use of it now that I've got it."

"Or you could return it to Hiromi and she could get her money back."

"When I have some spare cash to pay her back, I _will_," growled Haru. "I may not be too happy about being a charity case, but right now I haven't got much choice in the matter. Could you give it a rest?" Her actions of placing the clothes in the drawer had become a little less organised as she talked, stuffing the clothes with a careless air just to fit them in.

To her side, there was the groan of wood as Tsuge leant against the table beneath the window. "Alright, but just so you're aware, Hiromi hasn't got much spare money either."

"I _know_." Deciding she was sick of this looping conversation, she turned it onto another matter. "And what was everyone talking about after lunch? Did I miss something?"

"Yeah, while we were heading back here – you had left before us – the Baron met a young lady at the gates who had sprained her ankle. Turns out the hotel she was staying at was at the other end of town, so she was escorted inside so that the resident doctor could take a look. We think the Baron stayed to keep an eye on her, because – if you remember – he didn't turn up at Master Toto's lesson."

"I did realise he was missing," Haru acknowledged. "I didn't realise it was because of a _lady_."

Despite everything, Tsuge grinned. "I know, right? But I suppose his gentleman instincts must've kicked in."

Haru snorted and threw the last few pieces of fresh clothing into her drawer.

"Haru, just because you don't think he acts like a gentleman around you..."

"I know, I know..." Haru slammed her drawer shut, and then started laughing a bit to herself. "You should have heard your sister when I was complaining about the Baron to her. She thinks, deep down... deep, deep, _deep_ down..." she added after a moment of thought, "I actually like the Baron."

"Ah, methinks the lady doth protest too much, is it?"

"The lady doth protest too much, _methinks_, actually," Haru corrected in a blunt, bored tone, stretching back onto her feet, giving the drawers one last kick to make sure it was shut.

"Whatever." Tsuge grinned. "But, you know, maybe she has a point... I mean, you have been complaining about the Baron an awful lot recently..."

Haru gave her friend a not-entirely-friendly shove. "You're... _impossible_," she snorted, turning away. "It's just because he's picked on me twice for being late up! You know, it's not as if I'm deliberately doing it. It's just..."

"You're terrible at getting up in the morning."

Haru threw one hand up in the air in defeat. "Yeah. That." She let herself collapse onto the side of the bed; through her hands giving the wig resting on top of the drawers a tired look. She leaned over and picked it up, straightening the strands and taking a closer examination of it.

It was of decent quality; Haru couldn't fault Hiromi on that. It felt natural as she brought her fingers through it; untangling some snarl it had gained since being bought – snarls probably gained in the game of catch she had been unwillingly submitted to – and as Haru brought it into the light for a better look, an idea snapped in place.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going with that?" Tsuge demanded as Haru got to her feet and stuffed the wig back into the small bag it had previously occupied. "I think you've attracted quite enough attention today as things stand."

Haru readily ignored him and picked up her cloak from the side. "I'm going home."

"Home?" he repeated hopefully. "You mean you're giving up this whole–"

"Just for a _visit_," Haru added before he could finish the question. "You're not getting rid of me that easily. Anyway, my father will want to hear all about how things have gone."

Tsuge still warily eyed the bag Haru carried the wig in. "What about the wig?"

"I'm going to put it on once I get out of the garrison," Haru answered. "What? Did you think I was going to walk out of here wearing it? Give me a _little_ credit."

"And... the clothes?" Haru had changed into some of the clothes Hiromi had bought her earlier, and even though it was a lot less conspicuous than the brilliant blue guards' uniform she had worn most of the day, it was still unusual attire for a young woman.

Haru finished clipping the cloak around her. "Voila. No one will ever know."

"Unless you drop the cloak or something."

"Well then, I _won't_ drop it. Stop _worrying_." Haru grinned wickedly at her friend and, drawing the cloak around her, took a look in the mirror. "Well, that looks fine. I'll see you later, Tsuge."

Tsuge grumbled a reluctant bye as he left her room with her. Haru locked the door behind her – bag in one hand, key in other – and reassured him again that everything would be fine.

"It would be so much easier to believe if I didn't know you," Tsuge commented dryly, but otherwise left it at that.

Getting past the gate was easy – the porter on guard didn't ask any questions as she passed him by – only nodded acknowledgement and respectfully muttered, "Mister Yoshioka." Haru had to remind herself that being the daughter – son, in this case – of a well-known general wasn't without its effects. She even managed to find a deserted alley in which she used to pull on the wig in privacy. Stuffing the now-empty bag into a pocket and pulling the cloak further around her to hide any obvious signs of her male attire, she exited the alley and arrived out into the more respectable-looking street.

Aware the wig was a little lop-sided, she pulled at the hair at the top of her scalp and, in failing to look where she was going, walked into a couple. The automatic apology came before she even had taken time to look at them – it was also automatically in the 'guy-voice' she had been working on over the past two days. She quickly returned it to its normal pitch.

"That's quite alright," a surprisingly-familiar accent answered. "We appear unhurt. Are you okay?"

"I'm... Yeah... I'm fine." Haru was frozen in place, looking at the familiar face of the Baron. '_He doesn't recognise me,_' she told herself. '_He hasn't got a clue who I am..._' "Yeah, I'm okay," she repeated a little dumbly as she tried to rein her panic under control.

The lady hanging on to the man's arm was a beautiful blonde – and, incidentally, the same blonde she had bumped into earlier in the day. Neither showed any signs of recognition.

"Humbert," the young lady simpered, tightening her hold on his arm, "we should be going. She's obviously fine and you promised me a dinner at that new restaurant on Villa Road."

The Baron smiled gently to Haru and tipped his hat. "And I never break a promise. Safe journey home, Miss."

Haru found her feet reluctant to move even after the couple had moved on. "You too," she muttered. She waited for them to turn the corner before allowing herself to relax. Automatically, she pulled her cloak closer around her and tried to reassure herself that neither had suspected anything. Numbly she started down the street that would take her to the cottage her father had rented. She passed a few people in the neighbourhood she knew, mostly receiving a nod or a wave, but no one dragged her into conversation.

Eventually she arrived at her temporary home and knocked at the door.

"Whatdoyouwant?" a voice demanded from inside. It sounded as if the owner had just awoken. There was the squeak of wheels making their way nearer the door. "I'm not interested in buying anything, even or especially if it's under a 'special offer' and if you think you can scare an old man, you've chosen the wrong house!"

Haru smiled to herself and checked her voice was at its usual pitch. "Is your only daughter allowed in?"

She heard the wheels move closer to the door, followed by the accompanying jingle of door chains and locks being unchained and unlocked. Her father cried her name happily on opening the door and ushered her in.

"Have you gotten grouchier since I left?" Haru teased, draping her cape over the convenient hooks by the door.

"Have you gotten ruder since then?"

Haru grinned and entered the small room that served as kitchen and lounge in one. Her father had wheeled himself in before her and was collecting the usual cutlery debris scattered round the room.

"Here, let me take that," she offered, although she didn't give him an option in the matter as she moved to relieve him of the plates. "I told you to get someone to help with the housework," she scolded, although somehow at this point she lost the heart to scold. "You shouldn't overstretch yourself."

"So you're saying I should just sit on the edge and let everyone else do the work for me? Like I'm some... old, infirm man?" Daichi Yoshioka demanded.

Haru had to bite her lip to stop herself reminding him that was _exactly_ what he was. Well, at least on the infirm part. She wouldn't start calling him old until he gained a few grey hairs, if only for the sake of her father's dignity.

"I'm just saying you should be aware that you're not as... mobile as you used to be," she said tactfully. "Why didn't you hire someone to help around the house?"

"I don't need hired help," her father replied stiffly. "I can manage fine. What have you done to your hair?"

"Don't try to change the subject, Father."

"No, no, seriously, because last time I saw you, we'd just cut it short."

Haru sighed, and in order to appease her father, tugged the wig off to reveal her normal hair. "It was Hiromi's idea."

"Well, I never. It looks like it's really real."

"Well that's a relief, I can assure you," Haru replied dryly. "I still say that you should get someone to help around the place."

"I'm _fine_."

Haru made a face as she picked up another plate and returned it to the sink. However, before she got to pursue her argument, there was a knocking at the front door.

"Blimey, it's like the crossroads here today," complained Daichi. "Head upstairs before they spot you."

Grabbing the wig, Haru nodded and retreated upstairs. However, she paused at the top and knelt round the corner to listen to the newcomer.

"Mr Yoshioka; pleasure to see you."

"Mr Kasumi, what a surprise." Her father's voice was brittle, but carefully constructed to hide it from the visitor. "Is there a purpose for your visit?"

Haru moved away from the stairs as Mr Kasumi, their landlord, walked through into the joint lounge and kitchen. The man in his late forties had a face that might have been handsome earlier in life, but time had worn away those features, carving them into a more angular, sharp face.

"I thought I would remind you about the rent. You still owe me the money for the first month."

The squeak of the wheels and creak of the floorboards told Haru that her father had moved into the main room after the newcomer. "We are working on it. My daughter–"

"Ah, yes, Miss Haru Yoshioka. Pray, is she in today?"

"Work has kept her busy," claimed Daichi easily. "Would you like some tea?"

"No, but black coffee wouldn't go amiss. It's a funny thing you should say that," the landlord commented, deceptively idly, "because on the way here I met a lady who said she saw your daughter returning this way. Where did you say she was, again?"

"Upstairs," Haru's father said simply, but not without a moment of hesitation.

"Will she be joining us?"

"She has just returned; I expect she is changing out of her uniform." He paused, and then gave a warning shout of, "Haru? Mr Kasumi is here. Hurry up with changing out of your uniform!"

Haru took the hint and retreated to her room; quickly changing out of her male attire and into a simple dress, remembering to untie the bandages around her chest. She pulled on the wig and – with a quick glance in the mirror to ensure she hadn't done anything stupid like put it at a slant or lop-sided – she exited her room. To her surprise, the landlord was standing at the top of the stairs, waiting for her.

"Haru; my, my, you've quite grown into the young lady."

Haru grinned nervously and tried to subtly close the door behind her, all too aware that the shirt she'd just changed out of was slumped next to the doorway. Before the fire, Haru had only ever met the man from time to time; he owned several plots of land around the area and had come over to the house for a few courtesy dinners, but none of the Yoshiokas had ever liked the man much.

"Mr Kasumi; I wasn't expecting to see you today," she said truthfully. Her foot found the shirt and kicked it inside her room and finally she slammed her door shut behind her.

"Must I remind you every time to call me Hiroto?"

Haru's false smile flickered and she gestured to the stairs. "Every time, sir. Now, please, my father will be expecting us downstairs," she informed him calmly. She allowed him to escort her to the main room, ignoring the crawling of her skin at his contact on her arm. She only put up with it out of remembrance for her manners and for the fact that he was their landlord.

Still, it didn't mean she had to genuinely _like_ the man.

"How was work today?" he asked, striking up conversation as they descended the stairs.

"Work?" Haru echoed, her mind automatically taking her to today's events. Somehow she doubted he was expecting to hear the true structure her day had taken. "Oh, it was good."

"Anything interesting happen?"

Haru's mind was filled with several images from the day. "... No, not really," she eventually concluded.

Hiroto Kasumi smiled at the young brunette; the action looked strained, as if he was unfamiliar with the process of smiling. Somehow Haru received the impression he was more one to smirk than smile. It looked like a wolf trying to differentiate between a snarl and a smile; pained "Come, come, Haru; in every job there are ups and downs. Surely it can't have all been monotonic."

"Yes... well, the cafe was very busy today," she lied, making up a job in her head. "I was nearly swept off my feet keeping up with all the orders..."

"Cafe? I thought your father said you worked down at the stables near the Red Lion."

Haru reddened at her mistake. They hadn't taken the time to solidify a story between them and now it was showing. She shrugged though as if it were nothing. "Well, you know my father, sir. In his old age, he's... well, he's not as sharp as he once was. You'll have to forgive him in his slip-up." She tried to smile, but was aware it was a grimace. However, she took the opportunity that they were entering the main room to sweep over to her father and hug his shoulders. "Father, I believe you've been misleading our poor landlord!" she gushed, laughing and ending the hug so that Daichi could see the serious look in her eye that contradicted her light tone. "You've been telling him that I work at the stables!"

He received the message in her eyes to play along and adopted an elderly, confused look to his own face. "What? You mean you don't work there? But you said you were going to an interview for a job..."

"They turned me down," Haru told him; now the both of them were conspiring together. "I got that waitressing job at the cafe where Mao works – she managed to talk to the bosses." In truth, she knew no one by that name, but preferred not to name any cafe so her story couldn't be proven false. "You remember Mao, don't you? Sweet girl, mousy brown hair. A bit on the quiet side."

"Oh yes, I remember her. Shy, but good-natured. Oh, Mr Kasumi, where are my manners? I seem to have forgotten your black coffee."

"I'll make it!" Haru offered, snatching up any opportunity to move as far away from their landlord as possible. She leant on her father's shoulder and added, "You two just talk for the moment – all your conversations go way over my head!" She laughed and turned to the kettle; the moment her back turned to the visitor her face lost its vitality and took on a more weary approach. As she brought out a mug and collected the jar of coffee, her ears staying open to listen to the men's words. However, she needn't have bothered, since they were carefully selecting small talk.

"Here's your coffee, Mr Kasumi."

"Please, it's Hiroto."

Haru's smile was weakening; this time her eyes only just managed to smile with her mouth as she passed him the mug. "Old habits die hard, sir. What was it that you came to talk to us about?" Despite the spare seat to Mr Kasumi's left, Haru moved across the room to sit in the seat next to her father's wheeled chair.

"Well, actually I came to talk to your father about the rent," the man answered. She saw in his eyes that he wasn't overjoyed by her seat choice. "He assures me that your job is paying well enough for you alone to pay it."

"Yes."

"Decent pay, then?"

"Yes."

"How does a young girl on a waitressing pay earn enough for a rent?"

Haru smiled wanly. "Tips," she said. "Don't worry, sir; you'll get your rent by the end of the month."

"That's two weeks away. Make it next Monday."

Here, Haru decided she was allowed to drop the smiling facade and adopt a more steely expression. "I cannot bring forward when I will receive my pay, Mr Kasumi. You will get your rent when I have the money." Then, as if remembering that she was acting more in control than the landlord had ever seen her before, she suddenly smiled brightly. "Hiroto, could you give us a little longer to pay it?" she asked sweetly. "I'm doing my very best and you wouldn't want to see us thrown out of here, would you? Not when we're all getting along so well."

The man grumbled, but eventually nodded. "Alright, you have a little longer. You're lucky that I'm fond of you two." Perhaps sensing the conversation had taken an awkward turn, he rose to his feet. "I shouldn't have imposed my presence on you two without warning. I will come another time to discuss this matter. Farewell."

Haru drew another sickly-sweet smile as the landlord bowed and placed a kiss on her hand. "Safe journey back," she simpered. She kept the smile plastered to her face right up to the second the door had closed.

"Hope you don't get robbed on the way home," she snarled and, rubbing her hand where he had kissed it, retreated into the kitchen. "Ah, I could murder that man!" She looked down at her hands in disgust and decided that she would only be happy when she had cleaned her hands thoroughly.

Her father wheeled himself over with the half-drunk coffee to Haru's side and tipped the lukewarm contents down the drain. "Be my guest. Fond of us two. Bah! Don't make me laugh! Fond of _you_, maybe."

Haru grimaced and attacked her hands with soap, trying to scrub the feeling of his coarse lips off the back of her palm. "Please, don't tell me about it. And you know when he said he would come another time to discuss this matter, what he actually meant was–"

"When you're not around, yes," finished Daichi, dumping the now-empty mug on the side.

Haru finally deemed her hands clean enough to retreat from the sink and take the same seat she'd occupied previously. Her father wheeled himself beside her.

"Oh, and 'all your conversations go way over my head'?" Haru's father laughed. "Kasumi may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he's not _dumb_."

Haru shrugged and sat back in her chair. "Hey, it was worth a shot. The more incapable he thinks I am of knowing what's going on, the less likely he is to register me."

"Oh, he registers you alright."

Haru scowled and got up. "As a _threat_, I meant. Do you want a drink?"

"No thanks. He's completely ruined my appetite."

The young brunette just filled a glass with water for herself and returned to her chair. "Father, you would tell me if we really were in financial trouble, right?"

"What? Of course."

Haru grimaced and put her glass on the side. "Because, when Mr Kasumi was talking to you about the rent it sounded like..."

"Everything's _fine_, Haru."

"Is that adult talk for 'we'd rather not talk about it right now'?"

Daichi sighed. "It's adult talk for 'as long as you get your pay at the end of the month, we're fine'."

"That bad? You said we had enough put aside..."

"The doctor's fees and the funeral cost more than expected. Look, Haru," Daichi reassured, leaning forward and taking his daughter's hands in his older, coarse hands, "we're going to be _fine_. Life has a funny habit of twisting and turning, but no matter what happens, life never, _ever_ just stops. Life keeps on going. Whatever happens, Haru, we'll always be together to look after one another and we'll _survive_."

Haru smiled weakly, but she had used up her fake smiles for the day.

"Don't worry about an old man, Haru. Tell me about your day."

The brunette looked down at their clasped hands; at the hands that she had grown up holding. Strong, sturdy, _safe_ hands. "There's not much to tell," she said hoarsely.

"Are you getting along with the other kids? They're not bullying you or anything, are they?"

"What am I: a five-year-old kid from primary school? The others are fine. No, it's the _teachers_ I seem to be picking fights with," Haru admitted gingerly. "Master Toto thinks I'm stealing his girl; the Baron and I got off to a bad start ever since I got up late the first morning and the only teacher I _do_ seem to get along with is Muta, who only likes me because he and Master Toto are in a constant feud."

Daichi laughed softly and continued to cradle his daughter's hands in his own. "You've got your father's knack of standing out in a crowd."

"_Unfortunate_ knack, especially when I don't _want_ to stand out."

Her father's eyes crinkled in laughter and he focused on something else Haru had commented upon. "You said one of your teachers is a baron?"

"Well, that's what he told us."

Haru watched her father's eyes drift in the process of accessing memories. "I used to know a young baron once," he said lightly. "I taught him for a while. He was a decent chap."

Haru smiled and slipped her hand free to pat her father's hand consolingly. "A long time ago?"

Daichi's eyes angled with the motion of thought. "It was before the fire but... you were only about sixteen at the time. Don't know what became of him; I wasn't teaching long." The man shook his head as if his mind needed a shake to be reorganised. "It's strange the things you remember about people though. He had the most distinct accent and the most distinguishable green eyes..."

Haru abruptly picked up her head. '_No, it couldn't be..._' "Green eyes?" she repeated hesitantly. "Father, can you remember a name?"

Her father's brow furrowed in thought. "Oh, it was something long – he had to teach me how to pronounce it... He didn't like to go by his first name much either."

Haru remembered the young lady calling the Baron by the name of Humbert. Personally she couldn't blame him.

"Ah yes, now I remember. It was Baron Humbert von Gikkingen."


	7. Baron's Story

Chapter 7: Baron's Story

"Haru? Haru, is everything okay?"

Haru slowly moved her glass that she had just picked up onto the table. "I'm fine," came the automatic reply. "I just... didn't realise that the Baron knew you."

"So it _is_ the same fellow? Glad to know what became of him!"

Haru, however, shared none of her father's enthusiasm. "Father, how close were you two?" she asked slowly.

"He was my top student. Smart, initiative, natural talent... Sensible too – that's not something you'll find easily in young men. Easy to talk to. Has he asked after me?"

Haru gave a watery smile. "Yeah," she lied.

ooOoo

Tsuge liked to think he knew his friends and family well. And with this familiarity came certain certainties that he liked to think of as unchangeable. Hiromi would never stop looking for guys. Chika would never stop listening to gossip. Haru would never be up on time for anything.

So, on knocking to the young brunette's door at half six, he hadn't really been expecting much of a response. But, much to his surprise, a tired – but certainly awake – voice called for him to enter.

Entering as if entering a hallowed building, Tsuge crept through the door. "I was just coming to make sure that you were up, if you wanted to actually catch some breakfast this morning."

Haru was already dressed in her uniform and was sitting on the floor, using the side of her bed for support. Bags under her eyes suggested a restless night. On seeing her friend enter, she tried to dredge a smile, but it seemed too much effort.

"Did yesterday evening go okay?" Tsuge asked carefully. "Everything at home alright?" Then, after an awkward pause, he added, "Is your father okay?"

She nodded lifelessly. "He's fine. Well, fine as ever."

Tsuge regarded his friend for a couple of seconds before moving to sit down beside her. "Well then, what is it? What's bitten you? Actually," he quickly added, "let's get some breakfast first. You look pale; some food will do you a world of good." He grinned. "I'll pay."

Haru actually managed to smile with a little bit of life in the action this time as Tsuge dragged her to her feet. "Thank you. Breakfast sounds great."

Tsuge found a small cafe that served a decent full breakfast – even at half six in the morning – and they sat down to eat and talk. Tsuge followed through with his offer of paying and before long the two of them were digging into bacon and eggs.

"So what exactly happened?" Tsuge pursued, unwilling to let the subject drop. "And don't say 'nothing' because we both know that's a lazy cop-out."

Haru stared down at her bacon; dubiously prodding it with general uneasiness. "It's such a little thing; I shouldn't be bothered by it..."

Tsuge choked on the apple juice he was drinking. "Such a little thing? Haru, I've never known you to be up early for anything short of an _earthquake_. Whatever it is, it evidently isn't just a little thing to you."

Haru grimaced gently over at her friend. "You know me way too well."

"Thanks. I think. So, what is it?"

The brunette sighed and set her cutlery down, abandoning her breakfast for the moment. "The Baron knew my father."

The significance of this took a little while to sink in to Tsuge. He paused, the knife poised hesitantly above an egg. It took a little while longer for Tsuge to pluck up the courage to ask, "Yeah, _and_? What; you're annoyed he didn't give you special treatment because of it or something? Wait, does he know your father had an only daughter?"

Haru shook her head. Tsuge visibly relax.

"Father said that although they were close, they generally kept out of the other's personal life. Thank goodness for small mercies."

"So... what exactly is the problem?"

"Why couldn't he have asked after Father, at least once?" Haru demanded. Her voice had risen and gained a few notches in pitch, just placing it into a more feminine tone. "He didn't have to show any favours to me, but if he was as great as my father told me, why didn't he ask how he was doing? Why couldn't he have shown just a little bit of kindness?"

"Perhaps... perhaps he had forgotten..."

"Tsuge, even if he couldn't remember my father personally, he must have read the news. He must know that my father is now disabled."

"Haru, perhaps you should let this go..."

Haru dropped her head and picked up her knife and fork to moodily poke at her meal. "Perhaps," she agreed quietly. "It's just... My father thinks so highly of the Baron – he asked whether the Baron had asked after him – and it would have been the _humane_ thing to do..."

"Haru, if it means that much to you, why don't you confront the Baron at some point. Ask _why_ he didn't ask after your father. It'll make you feel better."

"You think?"

"I'm sure."

Haru smiled weakly – something she seemed to have been doing a lot over the past few days. "Thanks. I'll ask him at lunch. And... thanks for everything else. I know I've been slightly... short with you recently, but you've really been helping me get through this."

Tsuge smiled back. "Anything for a friend." Suddenly he coughed and straightened his posture, looking down at his empty plate. "Well, that was a good breakfast. I'm stuffed; are you stuffed?"

"I'm quite full too, thanks." Putting her knife and fork together, she moved the empty plate of her own into the middle of the table, as a sign she'd finished. "And were you serious about paying for breakfast or were you just saying that?"

"Considering your financial difficultly currently, I suppose paying for you would be the gentlemanly thing to do."

Haru's smiled strengthened. "Thanks, even if it does come a little grudgingly."

"So, you're going to talk to the Baron about this?"

"Promise."

ooOoo

Her promise burned on her heart as they made their way back to the garrison. She wasn't sure how she was going to approach this – whether being straight-forward was the best policy, or whether she should slowly build up to it before finally asking him.

That was assuming that Haru could go five minutes in a conversation with the Baron without breaking into an argument, of course.

But, for the first time since she'd joined, she was on time to the morning practice. The Baron passed a look over her and acknowledged her presence before going on to give instructions to the group. Haru barely heard a thing, except for the command at the end to split into pairs and continue to practise with the usual weapons.

On these instructions being distributed, the freckled face of Nicholas appeared beside Tsuge and Haru.

"Hi, Machida said he was feeling ill today, so could I join up with one of you?" He smiled nervously as he spoke, perhaps remembering the last conversation they'd shared and the wig incident linked to that. "You know, neither of us meant any harm when we were horsing around with the wig. We just thought... well, we just thought that it was a bit of fun... A laugh, you know..."

Haru tried to smile back to show she didn't harbour any ill feelings towards the boy. Feeling that perhaps he still wasn't sure that he'd been forgiven, Haru motioned to Tsuge. "It's fine. Of course you can join with us. I suppose we can go into a three and take turns."

The boy brightened up. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome," Haru replied and collected three of the now-familiar sticks together from the side and handed them out. However, she had only got as far as passing one to Tsuge before the Baron appeared to their side.

"Are we an odd number today?" he asked in his usually-calm voice, his green eyes passing over the three of them. "Where is Machida?"

"Ill, sir."

"I see. And there is no one else spare to go with one of you?"

Haru passed the other stick to Nicholas, shrugging as she said, "Evidently not. I don't see why there's a problem with us going in a three." She kept her back to the man as she spoke, afraid that something hasty concerning her father might slip out if she looked over at him.

"You will get less practice between the three of you," the Baron answered shortly. "Perhaps one of you will practise with me today."

Haru didn't turn around, but she still rolled her eyes. '_Guess who?_'

"What about you, Haru?"

She sighed and turned around to face him. "Sure. Since whatever I think never seems to matter, sure." She changed her hold on the stick and walked off to find a space in the courtyard. When they had left Tsuge and Nicholas a good half-courtyard away, she turned back round to the Baron. "This is ridiculous," she told him plainly after a moment. She was tired; she had little patience to be delicate with conversation today. "Why not choose Tsuge or Nicholas? Or do you just like embarrassing me?"

To her mute surprise, the Baron didn't shoot back a response or start the practice. If anything, he looked guilty.

"I'm sorry for taking advantage of your injury yesterday," he apologised. "I–"

"It's a bit late for that now, isn't it?" she replied briskly, cutting over his words. "Perhaps you should have thought about that before."

Still, he didn't move to attack her. Haru stayed alert, unsure what to do.

"I wanted to apologise if my treatment of you recently has been harsh," he continued.

Suddenly, Haru decided she didn't want to hear his apologies. She didn't want to hear his excuses. With speed fuelled by her momentary anger, she brought her weapon round and forced him to defend himself.

"I don't want to hear your apologies," she growled, bringing on a new attack with every barbed word. "I don't care about that." She got a hit past his guard and suddenly brought the Baron down to the ground with the movement. Her weapon was poised at his neck and it was all she could do not to send death glares at the young man. "I want to know why you never asked after my father," she told him in a low, dangerous voice.

The Baron had raised his hands in defence, but at the mention of Haru's father, his hands lowered and those green eyes widened. "Daichi?"

"You knew him, and you never asked," she hissed, the stick trembling in her hands. "You must have known about the fire, and yet you never bothered to ask. He remembers you, _sir_." The respective title was barely more than a suppressed growl.

His eyes were still wide with surprise, but the initial shock was being reined under control. He tried to get up, but Haru's weapon didn't move. Again, his hands rose in defence to stop it coming into contact with his skin. "Please, let me get up and I'll explain."

Haru didn't move.

"Please."

Slowly she brought the stick away and didn't move again as he got to his feet. Her eyes still shot daggers, demanding explanations, but no sharp words penetrated her tongue.

"I'll explain it later," he promised. "At lunch," he quickly supplied before Haru could react to the vague promise. "Get some food and meet me at the crossroads at half twelve."

ooOoo

Haru followed his directions, but still found herself slowing as she followed the road that would lead her to the crossroads – the pedestrianised, plaza-like square in the middle of town. She began to doubt that he would be there, that maybe he had just arranged the meeting hastily at the time to make her calm down. Maybe he had no intention of turning up. Maybe she would wait all lunch for a man who would never arrive.

Clutching the sandwiches and apple that had hastily been bought from a cafe along the road, she entered the crossroads and scanned the area for any signs of her teacher. Wandering into the middle and still not spotting him, she began to believe her doubts had rung true.

However, just as she was thinking that she had been set up, she picked out the smart grey suit of the Baron from amongst the crowds, sitting casually at a cafe near the edge. Picking up her courage – and natural stubbornness – she headed over to his table and stood awkwardly to the side.

"Sir?"

He looked over at her with a strange sort of smile – bittersweet, Haru was tempted to call it.

"You came," he commented. Haru was unsure whether his statement was spoken out of gentle surprise or just a need to fill the silence. He gestured with a gloved hand to the seat opposite him. "Please, sit."

Haru did so, but her eyes didn't move from the Baron. Again, those same uncertainties rose within her but she ignored them. "You promised to tell me about my father?" She hadn't meant the phrase to come out as a question, but it did regardless. However, it was all she could do to maintain her voice at a reasonably masculine tone, let alone phrase her sentences correctly.

"I knew your father once, yes," he began. His tone suggested that this wasn't a five minute story, but rather, something more. And, even if his voice didn't tell Haru that, the change in his all-too-green eyes would have betrayed the same fact. "We met several years ago, when I was first joining the ranks of the King's Guards. Much the same position as you are in now. Your father was on leave from his normal duties but had been asked, for a short period while he was here, to teach. We were overjoyed to hear that we would be learning from the General Daichi Yoshioka, but he didn't like to speak of himself or his job. He taught us to be aware, to fight, to be alert, but of the war... he wouldn't speak of."

Haru looked away, looking down at the sandwiches and apple that lay abandoned on the table. "He wouldn't speak to me of it either," she said in a tired tone. "When I was younger, he didn't even tell me there was a war going on or that he was part of it. He just told me that he worked in a far-off country. I was seven when I found out the truth, and that was only after overhearing a conversation between my father and his friends."

The Baron smiled gently. "I expect he didn't want you to grow up believing war was normal. It shouldn't be."

"And yet there is a whole generation that is growing up, knowing nothing else."

The young noble nodded sadly. "Indeed. We hear some news from Felissia, but nothing conclusive. And because the battle is happening across another country, we barely register that it really is taking place. It seems all too much like someone else's nightmare." He looked away, his eyes fading out. "It's hard to believe that it started over twenty years ago. Daichi remembered a time before the fighting though; he remembered a time of peace. A time of peace before the King's greed took over," he added, the scorn packed in so thickly that it almost masked his distinctive accent.

"What... are you talking about?" Haru asked in a small voice. "I thought the war was started over the threat Felissia posed to us..."

The Baron's gaze snapped to the brunette. "Lies," he said brusquely. "Once I started to know Daichi, he told me what the war – what the _real_ war – was like. The people of Felissia, despite their feline appearances, are no different to us. And they were not ready for war; they were no threat to us. Our people are slaughtering them, and this murder has gone on for two decades, yet the Felissian people will not give in. And why? Because they do not want to give up their freedom. Their cause is worthier than ours."

"So why start a war? If they were as peaceful as you say..."

"Greed. King Shirou wants more land. More wealth. More _power_."

Seconds ticked by, and Haru didn't move. _Couldn't_ move. "But then... my father... _Why_...?"

"Your father was out there trying to make a difference; to try to lessen the damage. Your father is a _great_ man," Baron reassured. "He has been trying to talk the King out of his wasteful war for years _and_ be at the front line to reduce the death count to a minimal. He tried to subtly teach us that while he was training us here. He's the reason I insisted on staying on here as a teacher. The same reason why Muta and Toto did the same. Even if his training tactics were a little harsh at times."

Haru smiled weakly; the action barely made it to her eyes. "A bit like your training tactics?"

"Much the same. He was teaching us to survive. And to think for ourselves." A ghost of a smile twitched on the corners of Baron's mouth. "I know you think it was harsh of me to turn down your request to help at the upcoming ball, but I needed you to understand that you would be a danger if you were inexperienced. And you realised something."

"What?"

The smile twitched again at the corners. "Just because I'm ranked higher than you doesn't mean you should accept my orders blindly. That lesson sticks in people more if they reach that realisation themselves."

Haru froze. "So, all that time..."

"I wanted you to realise that I wasn't in the right, yes."

Haru sat back and considered the several responses that could rise to her lips. Eventually, she settled on, "And I just thought you were an egotistical, self-centred git."

To her surprise, the man chuckled. "What am I now?"

Before she could think about it, the answer, "A know-it-all with brains," sprang out of her mouth. She brought her hands up to her mouth, horrified. "I should really think before I speak, shouldn't I?"

Still, he chuckled again. "I expect some people would prefer that, yes. Have I answered all your questions?"

Deciding that, if she were going to be completely frank today, she might as well follow it through, she said, "No, actually. You still haven't told me why you didn't ask after my father. If he was such a great man and made such an impact on you, why didn't you ask how he was doing? You must have heard about the fire."

"I felt that that would be intruding on your personal life. Daichi and I, we... kept our conversations away from our private lives. I think he knew what had happened to my parents, so he didn't ask. I returned the favour. And then, I suppose I assumed that bringing up a topic with you might be painful." The Baron looked kindly down on his student. "Your mother dead, your father crippled... I assumed that you didn't want to be reminded of the past."

"Oh." The reasoning was meant so kindly, and his tone was so gentle, that Haru felt guilty for harbouring anger at him before. "I just thought that you..."

"Didn't care?"

Numbly, Haru nodded, feeling more foolish than ever.

"I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. I just thought that it would be for the best."

In the background, the clock's bells chimed, announcing that lunch would be nearly over.

The Baron rose to his feet. "You will be expected back at the garrison now," he told her plainly, "and still you haven't eaten your lunch. Perhaps I shouldn't have detained you here with my story for so long."

Haru also rose to her feet. "No, I'm grateful. I think I understand my father a little better now. Anyway," she added, glancing back at the table, "you haven't eaten anything either."

"I have a free couple of hours and right now I have promised to take a young lady to lunch."

"The young woman with the sprained ankle?" Haru asked, thinking of the pretty blonde she'd seen him with yesterday evening.

The Baron looked over at her. "Is my personal life now a discussion point with the trainees?"

Haru reddened. "Just asking." She realised that she had left her meagre lunch sitting forgotten on the table and quickly swept it up. She made half a move to make her way back to the garrison, when something the Baron had said struck her.

"Sir?"

The young man paused as he also had been about to leave. He looked back over at the brunette. "Yes?"

"What happened to your parents?" She held her breath for several seconds, waiting to see if he would answer or not. "You said that my father knew what happened to them. Was...? Is...? Are they...?"

"They died," he answered bluntly.

"I'm... I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said in the same tone. "This war isn't your fault."

**ooOoo**

**A/N: Due to a week's field course, quickly followed by a fortnight helping my mother during a lecturing programme, my updates over the next three weeks are going to be... sparse. I very probably won't have access to the internet or much free time, so writing or updating is going to be difficult, but I promise I'll do my best. As always thank you for your understanding, and I hope to hear from you in the reviews. **

**God bless,**

**Cat.**


	8. Something Precious

Chapter 8: Something Precious

Life soon began to take a routine as the days passed – weapon training with the Baron, riding with Master Toto and an evening activity composed by Muta. And, with one bridge crossed between her and the Baron, the morning sessions weren't so bad any longer. Of course, if she failed to arrive on time, he would ask her to step up to be part of the demonstration, but there was some newfound respect between the two of them now. Haru wondered just how many people knew of the Baron's contempt for their current king. She couldn't imagine he'd be the type of fool to go shouting his opinion, especially a not-so-complimentary one of their monarch.

And that really only left one other bridge to cross – dealing with Toto's gross misconception.

She decided to tackle the problem head-on one breezy late autumn afternoon.

"Haru, for goodness sake, mend your posture! Stop slouching!"

Haru wheeled Taro round; the horse was just as frustrated as his owner on the frequent disruptions and, without prompting, headed for Master Toto.

"I'm _not_ slouching," Haru growled, bearing down on the teacher.

Her horse also glowered at the man – how a horse could manage that, Toto had no idea, but he was doing a mighty fine job of it – and snorted in his face.

"I'm trying to help," insisted Toto, although the long face of Taro glaring evilly at him somewhat diminished the teacher-impression he was trying to maintain. Toto stared back into the dark eyes of the horse and, after a moment, involuntarily stepped back, further degrading the impression he was trying to keep.

"Oh really? Last time I heard, shouting orders at a person every five seconds was classed as _hindering_."

"And last time_ I_ heard, sitting like that was called slouching."

Haru glared at the man and slipped down to the ground so they spoke more face-to-face. Haru regretted this decision on seeing that, with his wiry frame, he was a good head taller than her. However, since scrambling back onto Taro to regain the height advantage felt somewhat demeaning, she stayed where she was. "Look, sir," she started, raising her head and straightening her posture in a vain attempt to reduce the height difference, "I have done nothing to earn your scorn. I've even got a perfect punctuality record so far, which is a damn slight better than how I've been doing with the Baron's lessons. I have always tried to treat you with respect and the least I could expect from you would be a little respect back. But right now, you're rapidly losing that respect and will continue to do so unless you can tell me _exactly_ why we got off to such a bad start."

Haru smiled wanly. "And if not, you can answer to my horse."

Right on cue, Taro breathed heavily down Toto's neck, looking very much like he thought Toto a particularly annoying little bug that he would so very much like to squash and only Haru's orders kept him under control.

"Bad start?" Toto repeated nervously. "Whatever made you think that we got off to a bad start?"

Haru gave the man a flat, unimpressed look. "Taro, bite him."

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you!"

Taro had his mouth half open, ready to follow Haru's orders. On Toto's words, Taro paused, mouth still open, and looked hopefully at Haru.

The brunette sighed and patted the horse's side. "Sorry. Another time, maybe."

Reluctantly, Taro closed his mouth and, ears drooping, brought his head back to Haru's side.

"Right, so you said you'll tell. Is it to do with Hiromi?"

Toto still looked rather apprehensive around the horse – which, for a man who had worked with horses all his life, was a feat – but also gave Haru a searching look. "If you knew it had something to do with Hiromi, why ask? And why set your pet on me?"

Taro snorted at the man at the casual use of the term 'pet' and, to his satisfaction, earned another few involuntary steps back from Toto.

Haru grinned and patted Taro's side again, sweetly ordering, "Play nicely, Taro," to the horse before turning to Toto and adding, "It was just to make sure you'd tell the truth. And I wanted to hear it directly from _you_, not from Muta because, although Muta seems quite happy to spill the dirt, I wanted to be sure that he wasn't embellishing the truth for his own amusement. Do you like Hiromi?"

The man sighed and looked suitably guilty. "Yes. And, you know, when I saw you with her..."

Haru laughed and stroked Taro's mane, amused by Toto's suggestion. "You know what's funny? I don't even see her that way. We've been friends so long she's more like a sister to me." Turning a shade more serious after that thought, she added, "You know, you didn't need to act like such an idiot – you could have just asked."

To her satisfaction, the man looked very, _very_ sheepish. "Um... do I have to dignify that with a response?"

"No. Just knowing that you got my point is enough. But, in future, don't be so quick to judge."

He nodded, perhaps just relieved that Haru wasn't reacting any more strongly – apart from threatening to let her horse bite him, but then, it could have been worse.

She could have carried through with her threat.

"If you're such good friends with her, I don't suppose..." The man was now rubbing the back of his head to complete the sheepish picture.

"That I could introduce you to her?" Haru paused to consider the idea. Hiromi had already expressed interest in the teachers – well, to be specific, her attentions had been mostly centred on the Baron. However, for some reason Haru rallied against the idea of pairing her friend with the Baron. The thought had barely crossed her mind before she flashed a smile at Master Toto. "Sure. In fact, if you want, you could give me the details for a date and I could pass them on to her."

"And she'd say yes?"

Haru's smile widened into a wicked grin. "If I tell her that you're a decent guy, she'll take the date. How the actual date goes is up to you."

"You'd be happy with doing that for me?"

Haru thought back over their bad start; at the instant prejudices the man had formed about her, but weighed, on the other hand, what Hiromi's reaction would be when she told the lighter brunette that she had got her a date. If she could survive the initial crushing hug that was sure to follow, she would be in Hiromi's good books for a while yet. That was assuming that the date went okay, of course. If it was a disaster, Hiromi would hold Haru responsible until she found a way to mend things.

"Yeah, I'd be fine with that. Just... don't shout at me anymore."

Toto's face split into a grin. "Are you kidding? After this, you're going to be my favourite student!"

As the teacher gave an uncharacteristic whoop and completely abandoned the class, Tsuge wandered over with his own mount. He glanced to where Toto had flown over to and was now congratulating a student on their work, before turning his eyes back to his friend.

"What did you do?"

"Oh, I think I've just made him a very happy man."

Tsuge paused, then looked over at Toto, and then at Haru. "You know girls usually say that after accepting a marriage proposal, right?"

Haru gave her friend A Look. "Any bright thoughts you have in the future you are _welcome_ to keep to yourself."

The lesson ended early that day, which resulted in an early dinner, since Muta had said they could take the day off from his late-afternoon session. The trainees headed down to the Red Lion, with Master Toto and Muta following their lead a few minutes later. Haru, however, didn't just have dinner on her mind.

Telling the others – the others being Tsuge and Nicholas, since Machida hadn't surfaced all day – that she would get food later, she caught Hiromi's arm as she passed with a tray and asked if she could take a moment off work to discuss something. Hiromi agreed and, passing the tray to a fellow employee, went upstairs to the room the smaller brunette rented.

Haru had been right about the crushing, bear hug – for several seconds she couldn't breathe, right up to the point where she was beginning to worry that her face was going blue. And Haru had only got as far as telling her friend that she had got her a date.

"Who's the guy?" Hiromi asked, her face red with excitement; a clear comparison to Haru's still slightly blue one. "Is it one of the teachers? Is it... No, don't tell me, let me guess... Is it the guy with emerald eyes?"

"The Baron, you mean?"

Hiromi pounced on that name. "Yeah. Him."

"No, it's not him."

The girl sighed and literally deflated with disappointment. "He looked really nice."

"He's not your type," Haru assured her before she had thought about what words were spouting out of her mouth. "It wouldn't work."

"Don't _I_ get a say in that?"

"I just can't imagine you two together. Anyway," Haru added, with some unfamiliar undertone to her voice, "he's interested in someone else. Some beautiful lady he helped the other day."

"Aw, phooey. Why are all the best guys taken?"

Haru smiled weakly, but she found her own heart agreeing wholly with Hiromi. Suddenly she caught on that thought and clamped down on it. Hard. The thought spluttered and died, but not before Haru was aware of what it had been about. She hoped there was no outward sign of the short, vicious internal struggle within her.

"If he becomes available, you will tell me, won't you?"

Haru struggled to maintain her smile. "Sure," she said hollowly.

Why was her heart creating such a racket inside her? Surely who the Baron was interested in was none of her business? Perhaps she was just concerned for his welfare after their conversation earlier that day. Yes, that had to be it. She didn't want him to get emotionally hurt.

"Haru? Haru, are you even listening to me?"

Haru snapped out of her thoughts and blinked dumbly at her friend for a few seconds. Finally her brain informed her that Hiromi had been asking her something. As intellectual as always, her contribution to the conversation was, "What?"

Hiromi gave a dramatic sigh. "Honestly, you shouldn't just zone out like that. It means I have to repeat everything I say and then our conversations take twice as long. I wanted to know who the guy is."

"The guy?"

"Yes. _The guy_? The one you've set up a date for me with?"

"Oh. That guy." Haru's brain routed through memories until she remembered exactly who 'that guy' was. Unfortunately, someone seemed to have stuffed all the spare space of her mind with thoughts of the Baron. Eventually though she tracked down the runaway thought. "Oh, he's called Master Toto – he's the tall, dark-haired one."

"Really?"

"He thinks you're cute," Haru tempted her friend with; knowing that Hiromi was weak when she knew someone liked her.

"Really? Well, I _am_ cute," giggled Hiromi. "I wouldn't blame him. Oh, wait; wasn't he the guy that was mean to you because he thought that you liked the same girl as him?"

Haru hadn't betted on Hiromi remembering that particular complaint, but she decided that the truth – if presented in the right light – would work to her advantage. "Hiromi, that girl was _you_." She paused for dramatic emphasis before adding, "He was willing to fight for you, Hiromi. Not many guys are."

As Haru had hoped, that worked like a charm and her friend let out a high-pitched, extremely girly squeal that Haru hadn't heard for a while, and hugged the taller brunette all over again. Haru endured it with the knowledge that no amount of pleading would make the other girl loosen her grip. "Oh, Haru, you are the best friend I could ever have! He said he was willing to fight for me?"

Here, Haru hesitated. Experience had taught her that outright lying was often playing on a slippery slope; whereas implied truth was much harder to be tracked down. "He... made it quite clear to me that he didn't appreciate the believed competition I was presenting," she said carefully. At least that way if Hiromi asked Toto about it, he wouldn't be able to deny it completely.

"How romantic!"

Haru resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. How _fickle_, more like. But she didn't resent her friend, knowing that Hiromi couldn't entirely be blamed for her reaction. Haru wasn't sure that _she_ wouldn't make a similar reaction if she was told that some guy would be willing to fight for her.

"You know, if this works out, I'm going to have to make it up to you one day," promised Hiromi rashly, her eyes glowing with excitement. "When all this is over, I'm going to find you a boyfriend."

"Hang on, hold your horses," Haru suddenly cut back in, raising her hands as her mind abruptly realised her friend's words. "When this is all over? What do you mean by that?"

"When you give up your job as a King's Guard and/or reveal who you really are."

"Give up my job?" Haru repeated hesitantly.

"Well, sure. I mean, you're not going to keep up this facade forever, are you?"

"Well, I don't see what I can do," Haru said truthfully. "I need the money, and if disguising myself as a guy to get enough is the only way, then unless I have some rich, lonely relative who I've never heard suddenly die and leave me everything, I'm sort of stuck." Haru began to realise just how true that statement was. How was she going to end this pretence? Did she have a _choice_?

"You're just going to keep pretending you're a guy?" Hiromi asked, nearly – but not quite – dumbstruck. "Forever?"

Haru laughed hollowly. "What do you mean forever? Of course I'm not going to keep this up forever. Just... until the financial situation at home improves."

"And when is that going to happen?" Hiromi questioned, not taken in by Haru's act. "Like you said, short of a rich relative dying, there aren't many options. Your father will probably never work again with his crippled legs – you said yourself that he doesn't know any trades and, even if he did, people still want people who are flexible outside their job requirements."

"The main payment that I need to worry about is the rent," Haru answered. "If I can pay Kasumi the rent for the time since the fire, then we could move out and find a smaller, cheaper home that I could pay for on a woman's wages." Calculations were ticking up in her mind. "The pay at the end of the month should suffice for the rent, but there'll hardly be any left for anything else. I'll have to stay another month before I can keep us afloat in the time it'll take to find another home and organise anything else."

"So... two months since you started this facade?"

"At least." Haru sighed and attempted to drag the conversation back to the topic of her matchmaking schemes. "Look, Toto said that if you accepted, he would take you out to the theatre Saturday evening and then out to a dinner. He said that he'll be waiting for you outside the theatre north of the crossroads at half eight."

With the upcoming date brought back to her mind, Hiromi's face cleared and she smiled happily. "To the theatre? How lovely! Oh, thank you again for setting us up, Haru!"

"You haven't even held a conversation with the guy yet," Haru gasped as another bear hug was wrapped tight around her. "I'd see how it works out before you thank me."

"He sounds lovely! I'm sure everything will go fine!"

Haru was released and she gingerly rubbed her neck with the vague impression that explaining the bruises she was surely going to develop was going to be embarrassing. Death by hug. Ridiculous, but Haru could well believe it was plausible.

"I'm glad you're happy," Haru said hoarsely. "Just don't come after me with a stick if it goes belly up."

"Would I ever?"

"Yes," Haru replied automatically, "and you wouldn't regret it until afterwards either." Distinctly receiving the impression that this conversation could – and would, quite happily – spiral round in repeat, she got to her feet, stretching her muscles and yawning. "Look at me – already tired and it's not even dark out. Do you mind if I head back? I'm hungry and I haven't seen my father in a few days. I think I might go and have dinner with him today."

Hiromi smiled as she also got to her feet. "You are such a daddy's girl. I suppose I should also be getting back – they'll be missing my help at the bar any moment now. Thanks for everything, Haru."

"It's fine. Actually, I'm just glad to have made my peace with Master Toto. Now he no longer thinks I'm competition and the Baron and I have talked things over, things should be a lot smoother."

They were already halfway to the door, but Hiromi stopped. "You've talked things over with the Baron? What about?"

Haru smiled wanly as she exited the room in spite of Hiromi's sudden lack of movement. "Oh, this and that. Mostly about our own pasts. All that really matters now is that we've reached an understanding."

Hiromi quickly picked up her pace to catch up with her friend. "Oh? What understanding would that be?"

Now it was Haru's turn to pause, but this time a frown flickered across her face. "I'm not entirely sure. But... I'd like to think I understand him better now. He's not the person I thought he was." A weak, almost wistful smile crept unnoticed by Haru onto her face. "He's... a greater man than I thought he was."

The smile may have crept past Haru's guard, but Hiromi's watch was a lot tighter. "A greater man, huh?"

"I just mean that he's not the proud, pig-headed person I first thought he was," Haru explained quickly. "I thought he was just being harsh because he could, not so that he could help us make our own realisations and opinions." She saw Hiromi's face and something inside her clicked, telling her that she was on a slippery slope here. "He reminds me a bit of my father when he was younger, that's all," she added defensively.

"Of course he does," Hiromi replied faithfully, but her own little smile – quite different from the showy one she'd been flashing earlier – still tugged at the edge of her lips.

Haru ignored it and started down the stairs, but at a noticeably quicker pace than before. She knew what Hiromi was thinking, but the other girl was always taking things the wrong way.

She just wished that she could convince herself that this was the case here.

Hearing those thoughts rise up inside her, Haru shook her head disapprovingly and headed back to the garrison to pick up her stuff. She was getting worse than Hiromi now. Like she had told her friend, the Baron just reminded her a bit of her father, that was all. No need to go overboard over the whole thing...

She continued to convince herself that as she arrived at the garrison and collect her bag which held her wig and a fresh set of clothes. After her second visit to her father, it had been suggested that she arrive already in the clothes of her gender, in case any nosy neighbours came over for a conversation while she was making her way home. She made another quick stop to add the wig and change clothes at Hiromi's room – using public toilets were out-of-the-question, for the obvious question of which toilets she should use – before heading home.

She didn't face the problem of nosy neighbours and, in fact, the journey home was uneventful up to the point where she stepped onto their garden path.

In fact, it was at that point that she heard the shouting.

"You useless, _stupid_ old man! Can't you accept the generous offer I'm giving you? I am doing this out of the goodness of my heart!"

Kasumi. Haru's heart hardened on hearing her father being addressed such by their landlord. Her hand flew instinctively to her side before she remembered that her blade had been left at the garrison. Luckily for _him_.

"The _goodness_ of your heart?" Haru heard from the other side. The deep, rumbling tone in her father's voice was one that she had never tried to cross. In her hatred of their landlord right now, she half-wished Kasumi would. "The goodness of your _heart_?" he repeated, the rumble growing louder. "You pompous, arrogant, _narrow-minded_ fool. Do you think I can't see right through you? What heart have you ever possessed? The answer was, is still, and will always be _no_."

Haru heard a frustrated growl from the other side of the door and took her cue then to knock.

As she had hoped, the argument was silenced immediately.

Several – probably highly awkward – seconds ticked by before the door was opened and she walked inside. Her father wheeled himself after her into the lounge, where Hiroto Kasumi was still standing. To Haru's satisfaction, the man paled on seeing her enter.

"Miss Haru..." he stuttered, suddenly losing the proud, conceited look which was hastily replaced by guilt. "I thought your work ended in the late evening..."

"Short day today," Haru answered briskly. She had always been a little impulsive at the best of times, and, right now, it wasn't the best of times and the impulse to physically assault the man for his treatment of her father was strong enough to make her face black. She looked away; somewhere in her mind was the little voice of reason warning her that punching the man would solve very little. Several more – strained, this time – seconds tiptoed by before she regained full self control and could finally return to her usual air-headed facade. A hesitant smile – beaten into submission and nailed to her lips – rose to her face. "I heard shouting," she said lightly. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine," their landlord assured her quickly. "I was just... giving your father an offer. He's made it quite clear that he won't accept it, so now I'll be going." Giving the two Yoshioka's a short bow – and an additional dark look to the elder – he made his way to the door. With the slamming of the front door, Haru allowed the murderous gleam to enter her eyes.

"What did he want, father?" she asked. Now with just the two of them present, she didn't attempt to disguise her disgust of Kasumi. "What was his offer?"

Daichi Yoshioka was moving round the lounge to pick up the two half-full mugs, but Haru took them out of his hands. She noted that both were stone cold. Evidently the conversation had become 'interesting' a while back and had rendered the drinks forgotten.

"Father, answer me," she demanded, putting the cups in the sink and returning back to face her father. "What did he want?"

The man sighed and, knowing that his daughter took after him in the stubborn streak, knew that she wasn't going to let this go. "He was offering to let us off on the rent in exchange for something."

Haru paused and, for the first time, was unsure what to make of it. She wondered what could be so important to her father that he would react so violently. Her father was usually a good-tempered man; not many things could make him raise his voice. "What did he want?" she eventually ventured.

"Something precious to me."

The brunette paused again. Her _mother_, not her father, had been known for riddling answers. Her father had even teased the woman for it endlessly, and in return, the redhead had just produced more vague answers. But that had been the time before the fire.

Haru moved and knelt beside her father's mobile chair, her voice becoming tender as she placed a young hand over Daichi's aging, worn hand. "Please, tell me."

Daichi looked over at his only daughter – his princess, his baby – and a pitying look entered those eyes that had been so many places, seen so many things. "Oh, Haru, he wanted _you_."

**ooOoo**

**A/N: After a three-week absence, I'm back! Yes, there was no internet; yes, my phone was stolen; yes, I got zilch revision done... but it was utterly worth it. Thanks for your patience, and updates should be weekly from hereon-out.**

**I have also become aware that FanFiction e-mails have been dumped in my spam box for the past month (yes, it took me that long to figure out) so I wasn't aware of a LOT of activity on this site. I am now working through about 50+ e-mails I've just discovered, so if you've reviewed or PM-ed or something, I will get to you... eventually. Sorry. **

**Also, I need a little feedback. After this story is fully uploaded, there's going to be a six-week break between the end of this story and the start of the next story - _The Bureau Files: Series 2_ - which I was intending to leave free. However, if you have any ideas on anything I could do to fill this gap, you're more than welcome to suggest something. **

**Many thanks,**

**Cat.**


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